Lucky Number Seven
by cartchica89
Summary: The Winchester's lives are altered in a way they never saw coming after Sam goes to a friend's house to work on a school project. This is an mpreg story, Sam is fifteen, almost sixteen and Dean is twenty. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! This idea popped into my head the other day while I was working on the newest chapter of my other story and I decided to go with it. Please let me know if you like the chapter and if this story is worth continuing. Thanks to everyone who reads this! I hope you liked it!

Oh and I'll put this as a warning just in case some people don't like the content. This is an mpreg story but it doesn't have any wincest in it. I can read wincest but I can't write it, I've tried and I am not going to subject you guys to it. Anyways, enjoy! And just remember, constructive critism is welcome but no flames. :)

* * *

"Hey dad, is it okay if I go over to Laura's house after school today?" Sam asked standing at the kitchen table, hoping his dad would say yes.

John thought about it for a moment. They didn't have a hunt they were currently working on while they waited for the school year to finish and Sam had been well behaved recently. "Yes," John replied. "On the condition that you are home by eight, am I clear?"

"Yes sir, thank you." Sam sighed as he walked out to the car so Dean could take him to school which he thought was really ridiculous, he was fifteen for Pete's sake!

"Where's geek-boy?" Dean asked shrugging into his leather jacket.

"In the car… waiting for you." John replied glancing through the newspaper for any suspicious activity.

They pulled into the high school parking lot about ten minutes later. "Alright, I'll be back later to pick you up." Dean said.

"Actually, I'm going over to Laura's house after school." Sam explained grabbing his backpack.

"Laura, you got a girlfriend and didn't tell me… Sammy, I'm offended." Dean said feigning hurt.

"Ha-ha Dean, very funny," Sam glared at his older brother. "I have to work on a school project."

"Oh, okay so that's what you kids are calling it these days." Dean said teasingly.

"You're a jerk." Sam replied.

"And you're a bitch." Dean retorted completing their inside joke. "Fine, go over to your 'friends' house but call me when you're done and I'll come get you."

Sam rolled his eyes. "I will." He said before heading towards his locker so he could deposit his unneeded books.

Dean watched Sam walk away and shook his head. He knew Sam was growing up but that didn't mean he had to like it. It may sound cheesy but Dean thought Sam would always be his baby or at least his baby brother.

~DW/SW~

The day passed quickly enough and Sam met up with Laura outside the library and then the two started the walk towards her house. They went into the living room and set up their books before Laura offered Sam a snack of milk and cookies.

They had been working for close to two hours and had about a third of their project done when Laura heard her father's Mustang in the driveway. "Sam," He looked up, by the tone of her voice, he could tell she was worried. "Sam, you have to leave, please go! Before he…" Laura was cut off as her father stepped into the living room.

"Well, well… who do we have here?" Mr. Barkley asked walking towards Sam. Mr. Barkley was a tall, well-built man wearing a dress shirt and slacks. Sam thought Laura had said her dad was a doctor of some kind.

"Sam Winchester, sir." Sam said stepping forward to shake hands.

Mr. Barkley smiled as he shook hands with Sam for longer than necessary, making Sam feel uncomfortable. "You'd be perfect." He muttered liking what he saw. Sam was tall, had an athletic build, a quick glance at the coffee table told him Sam was obviously smart and besides there were… other things that made him desirable… yes, the boy would be perfect! "Marcus!" Mr. Barkley yelled.

"Perfect… perfect for what?" Sam asked. He took a quick glance at Laura and was slightly unnerved by the look of panic on her face.

"You'll see my boy." Mr. Barkley replied as a young man who looked to be in his early twenties came walking into the room.

"You called sir?" He asked.

"I think we can get started now." He said motioning to Sam.

Marcus got the message and before Sam could react, he felt a stinging in his arm and then his world went black. Laura stood there in horror. The only reason why she'd agreed to doing the project at her house was because her father and brother weren't supposed to be home. She watched as Marcus carried an unconscious Sam down to the basement, or rather her father's lab.

~DW/SW~

Dean and John were eagerly going over some information that Bobby had just called them with concerning a possible haunting a few towns over. They were both going through withdrawal and felt the pull of the hunt once again. Dean glanced at the clock and then at the phone, eager for his brother to call when there was a sudden knocking on the door. He grabbed his 9mm, hid it in the waistband of his jeans and answered the door. "Um… who…." He asked surprised to see a girl standing in the doorway. They almost never got visitors to their tiny, run down establishment and he was instantly suspicious.

"Dean?" She looked at him questioningly and sounding out of breath.

He nodded.

She reached out and wrapped a hand around his wrist. "You… you have to come… quick. Sam… he's in trouble…" She panted.

"Dad, Sam's in trouble!" Dean yelled already heading for the Impala.

In a matter of seconds, all three of them were loaded in the Impala speeding towards Laura's house.

~DW/SW~

When Sam came to, he realized he was in a basement. "Good, you're awake. Now we can start." Mr. Barkley said his back to Sam. His eyes flashed black as a wicked grin appeared on his face and he began walking toward Sam with a syringe in his hand. This was working out better than he could have hoped for. Sam was a great catch anyways but the fact that he was a hunter's son made it even better.

Sam tried to get away but found he was bound to the bed and his panic upped a notch. "Get the hell away from me you freak, you think I hand out the goods for free?" He asked masking his fear and channeling his older brother, feeling mighty proud of himself.

Mr. Barkley smirked at Sam's cocky attitude and then plunged the syringe into Sam's abdomen.

Sam threw his head back and his body convulsed as a white hot pain seared through his stomach making him feel like he was on fire without any way to put it out. "Agh!" He screamed in agony. Eventually the pain subsided but Sam remained curled in the fetal position long after. Mr. Barkley stood there smiling, yes, as far as he could tell, his plan was working.

"Get the hell away from my son now!" John roared shaking with rage as he watched the middle-aged man loom over Sam. Dean was standing slightly behind his father, a murderous glare on his face as he pointed the .22 Caliber at the man just itching to pull the trigger.

Mr. Barkley spun around and glared at the two men, angry that someone had breached his private lab. It could be easily fixed though. With a flick of his wrist, John and Dean were sent hurtling into the nearest wall.

"Son of a bitch," Dean muttered refusing to lose consciousness and checking to make sure he still had his gun on him even though he knew now that it wouldn't do much good. It was better than nothing though.

_Shit_ John thought as he realized what they were dealing with. He glared threateningly at the demon. "Christo." He said, momentarily disarming it. "Dean, get your brother out of here." John ordered taking advantage of the situation not realizing that Dean was already half way there. John charged the man and knocked him down continuing to mutter Latin under his breath and splashing holy water on him hoping to give his son's a chance.

Dean walked over to the mattress where his brother lay shivering on the bed. "Hey Sammy, what do you say we get you home okay buddy?" Dean said tucking his gun into the waistband of his jeans and gently picking Sam up.

Sam seemed to register that it was Dean who was holding him and he burrowed deeper into his brother.

Mr. Barkley growled as he watched Dean carry Sam up the stairs. Oh well, at least he'd already gotten the first step taken care of. It was irreversible now, nothing the all mighty John Winchester could do to stop it.

John was a little surprised and unnerved that the demon wasn't putting up more of a fight. He'd always warned Sam and Dean to be cautious when it felt like the fight was an easy one; he knew how dangerous a mistake that could be. He checked to make sure his boys had made it safely out of the room before throwing the final punch effectively knocking the man unconscious.

Looking around he saw the rope that had bound his youngest to the bed. He quickly untied it and slung it over his shoulder making his way over to the man failing to notice the young man making his way out of the house.

~DW/SW~

Dean carried Sam out to the car and gently placed him in the backseat of the Impala. Sam was still shaking so Dean grabbed a blanket from the trunk and draped it over his brother before pulling Sam close to his chest. "Shh, Sammy, shh, I've got you baby brother." He whispered when Sam whimpered a bit. "You're safe now."

Laura sat in the front seat, feeling more than a little guilty as she watched Dean do his best to comfort Sam. If only she hadn't brought him home then he'd be fine now instead of suffering in the backseat of his brother's car. This was all her fault.

John came out a couple minutes later with some very bloody knuckles. He'd left Mr. Barkley lying in a crumpled heap in the basement, trapped underneath a Devil's Trap. Taking a look at Sam in the backseat who looked so small and helpless in his brother's arms he made his decision. "Take him home Dean." John ordered.

Dean looked confused but gently laid Sam back and climbed into the front seat.

"I'll be home soon, just have to take care of a little pest problem." He said the trademark Winchester glint in his eye.

Dean nodded and fired up the engine racing toward their ramshackle house as John headed back inside. "Wake up!" He demanded splashing holy water onto the demon's face.

The demon shook his head and made a small sound of pain. "Ahh, so the almighty John Winchester wants to have a chat does he?" The demon smirked.

"It'll be a bit one sided." John said before starting the exorcism.

~DW/SW~

"Go… get the door." Dean ordered to Laura as he gently pulled Sam from the backseat once they'd arrived back home.

Dean carried Sam into the bedroom and softly laid him down on the bed. Laura watched as Dean removed his brother's jacket and shoes trying to help make him more comfortable.

Sam started to stir and let out a small moan.

"Hey Sammy, c'mon open your eyes for me kiddo." Dean said leaning down close to his brother and cupping Sam's cheek with his hand. "C'mon Sam, you can do it."

Slowly Sam opened glazed eyes and looked up at his big brother with a faraway look in them only to lose consciousness a few minutes later. Dean sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He glanced at Laura and wanted to be angry with her for endangering his brother but in the end he knew she'd had no control over what her possessed father did.

~DW/SW~

John was in the kitchen getting a cup of coffee going over what the demon had managed to get out before being exorcised. He had told John that changes were underway and that he'd lose something precious to him along the way whatever the hell that meant. John growled and shook his head, there were only two things that he still had that were precious and both were down the hall from him, presumably safe for the moment. He was about to pour his coffee when he heard Dean calling his name. He knew something was wrong just by the tone of Dean's voice.

"Dean? What…" He asked before seeing his fifteen year old son thrashing on the bed having a seizure. He rushed over and tried to keep Sam from falling off the bed while protecting his head as much as possible. "Sammy!" He shouted worriedly.

It seemed like years but was only a few minutes later when the seizure finally ended. Sam was pale and had sweat dripping down his forehead and his head ached as his muscles felt cramped. Dean smiled softly and reached down to brush the bangs off of Sam's forehead, noticing as he did so that Sam had a fever. "We need to cool him down." Dean immediately unbuttoned Sam's shirt, seeing for the first time how bruised and swollen Sam's abdomen was. "God Sammy," He sighed sympathetically. _What the hell had that demon done to his little brother?_

"Dean, the tub's ready." John called walking out from the bathroom a couple minutes later. He managed to hide his anger when he saw the bruises on his son's stomach. Other than an occasional spanking, he'd never raised a hand to either of his boys and he definitely didn't permit anyone else to.

Dean nodded and gently cradled Sam to him, stumbling a bit, and the kid was no light weight that was for sure. "It's okay Sammy, your big brother's going to take care of you." Dean reassured as he lowered Sam into the ice-cold bath which caused Sam's glazed eyes to open for a second time, a little clearer. "Hey there kiddo, how ya doing?" Dean asked sitting down on the edge of the tub, gently grasping Sam's hand in his.

John knew how worried Dean was by the amount of affection that his oldest was currently displaying. Dean might act tough and John knew his son was tough but introduce him to an injured little brother and Dean instantly turned into a combination of a mother hen and a momma grizzly bear though he'd never tell him that, damage his pride too much.

"Hurts." Sam groaned putting his head back.

"It looks it." Dean replied sympathetically.

After Dean and John felt like Sam had cooled down enough, Dean helped support Sam while John dried him off and got him into a t-shirt and a pair of sweats.

"Okay, back to bed little brother." Dean ordered guiding Sam back to the room that the two of them had shared for the past month and a half.

Sam nodded tiredly.

~DW/SW~

"Um… Mr. Winchester?" Laura asked standing hesitantly in the kitchen doorway.

John glared at her momentarily when in reality he was more pissed at himself. He was the great John Winchester, a legend, how in the hell had he not known that there was something going on in this town and let it get that close to his boys.

"I know you're mad at me, hell, I'm mad at myself but please… just hear me out." She pleaded.

John's face softened a little, he doubted there was anyway a young teenage girl would have been able to stop a possessed man. He doubted she even knew her father was possessed.

"I'm so sorry I brought Sam over to my house. I didn't think my dad would be home, I swear I didn't." She started. "I'll leave… I just want to warn you."

"Warn me?" John asked concerned.

Laura nodded. "My father… he was doing experiments, looks like Sam's his latest test subject." She said sounding a bit cynical.

"What was he doing experiments on?" He asked.

"My dad… he wanted to create the first male pregnancy." She answered.

"What?" John asked in disbelief.

"If… If it worked then Sam is pregnant." She repeated.

"You think my brother's pregnant!" Dean screamed standing in the doorway.

"He probably is, judging from what I've seen." She said turning to the enraged older brother. "It's what happened to the others."

"What others?" John asked, growing more nervous by the second. He felt as if this wasn't all there was to the story and they were missing a key piece of information.

"Sam's his seventh subject, there were others… they all died." She said staring at the floor as she relayed the information. "That's why I'm warning you. Sam has an uphill battle to fight as his body tries to accommodate to the changes and he's going to need all the support he can get."

"You're fucking delusional! In case, you haven't noticed my brother is a GUY and well, guys, they don't get pregnant! It's impossible!" Dean ranted.

"It's not impossible and if you want Sam to survive the next nine months, hell, the night I suggest you pull your head out of your ass and see what you can do for him!" Laura yelled. "That is if you care about him!"

John instantly knew Laura had gone too far and reached out to grab his son's shaking form but Dean dodged his father and strode to the young girl. "You can question a lot of things about me, how much I love Sammy isn't one of them. He means everything to me." His jaw was clenched and John knew that with how angry he was, it was a possibility that he might hit the girl.

"Dean, that's enough." John said pulling his son back.

"Then believe what I'm telling you and help him." She said softly.

"How long did the others last?" John asked.

"Most died around the third month." Laura replied looking only at John. "The last guy made it to the fifth month."

John nodded reluctantly and sighed tiredly. "What do we do?"

"Keep him calm and keep his fever down. You do that and he might have a shot of lasting a few weeks." She said sadly. She wasn't optimistic about the outcome.

Dean couldn't believe this and needed to get away from the whacked out conversation. "I'll be with Sammy." He said walking down the hall and resuming his spot beside his brother.

John entered the room a few minutes after Laura left. Her revelation had made him wonder if this was the change the demon had been talking about. "How is he?" He asked.

"The same." Dean said wiping Sam's forehead with a cool washcloth. He looked up at his dad, uncertainty shining in his eyes. "You don't actually believe her, right dad?"

"I don't think we have a choice son." John answered.

Dean nodded and went back to his administrations.

~DW/SW~

That first night was tough on all three Winchesters. John and Dean struggled to keep Sam's fever down and protect him during the seizures. Sam tossed and turned continuously moaning in pain, tears falling from his closed lids.

Dean woke the next morning feeling exhausted and his back ached from having slept in a chair all night. Seeing that Sam appeared to be resting peacefully for the moment, Dean decided that a cup of coffee was in order. He found his dad sitting at the table staring out the window. "Dad, when and how are we going to tell him?" Dean asked. He'd made up his mind sometime during the night that he'd go with this until he had a reason not to believe it. After all if it turned out that Sam really was pregnant, he wanted his brother to know he'd be there every step of the way.

"I don't know if we should." John answered.

"What, of course we should. If… if things start happening to him and there's no explanation, he's gonna freak." Dean argued. "That does not count as keeping him calm." _Not that telling him he's pregnant will help keep his blood pressure down either _Dean thought ironically.

"I just… I just want to make sure this is permanent." John replied.

"I should go check on him." Dean said finishing his coffee and walking back down the hall. He rushed over to Sam's bed when he saw that he was awake. "Hey, how ya feeling?" He asked taking a seat beside Sam.

"Tired." Sam answered. "Dean, what happened?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" Dean asked.

"Being at Laura's house and working on a project. Then her dad came home… that's it." He replied.

Dean nodded. "I'll be right back okay."

Sam nodded and closed his eyes.

"Dad, Sam's..." Dean drifted off when he saw the room was empty. "Dad!" He called only to get no reply. A quick look out to the driveway told Dean that his father's truck was gone and he had a good guess as to where his dad had run off to.

~DW/SW~

John parked his truck down the street from Laura's house. He double checked to make sure he had the holy water and the blessed knife, just in case, before stealthily making his way down into the basement.

The formerly possessed man was sitting trapped this time in self-guilt and John's patience was waning thin, he hadn't gone there to have a therapy session. He needed this guy to be functional and yet at the same time he wanted to beat him to a bloodied pulp.

"My god, what have I done?" The man repeated. John guessed that the man hadn't moved since he'd been put in the devil's trap.

"You can fix it." John answered.

"How, I killed those men. I almost killed your son." He argued.

"Key word there is almost but I need your help now. You have a medical degree correct?" John asked.

"I won't have it for much longer." Mr. Barkley stated.

"You can make this right. My son, Sam, he's suffering and I don't know how to help him. You do, please come with me." John pleaded. When it came to his boys, he was not above begging or threatening with bodily harm... whichever worked.

"You want me around your kid?" Mr. Barkley asked sounding surprised.

"Trust me, I'd rather not have you anywhere near Sam but he needs care that his brother and I can't provide for him. But make no mistake, you screw up in any way and anything happens to Sam, it's you who is going to suffer. And that's just me, you don't want to have to deal with Dean." John said an angry glint in his eye.

Mr. Barkley nodded and then proceeded to grab his medical supplies and then the two headed back toward the Winchester homestead.

~DW/SW~

Dean heard the front door open and picked up his gun from the nightstand. "I'll be right back okay Sammy." He said to his sleeping sibling and glanced a quick look at Laura who was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. He walked down the hall and was shocked and angered when he saw Mr. Barkley standing in the kitchen. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?" He asked striding up to the man ready to punch his lights out.

"Please, I'm here to help." He said in a soft voice.

"Help! It's your fault we're here in the first place!" Dean replied not caring that the man was possessed at the time and didn't have control over his actions.

"Dean, I asked him to come. We can use him." John said making it clear to Dean to back off.

"Let's get one thing straight doc, anything and I mean anything happens to my brother and I will tear you to shreds." Dean said appearing much more dangerous than any 19 year old should.

John smirked at the slightly frightened look on the man's face. "I told you, you didn't want to have to deal with him."

"Dad?" Laura asked as she stood hesitantly in the doorway. She'd heard the argument in the kitchen and had decided she had better go check and see what was up.

"Baby," Mr. Barkley said looking at his daughter. He knew he had a lot of explaining to do but he had no clue how to explain it to her, hell, he barely understood it himself.

"I think we have more pressing issues here, you guys can chat later." Dean interrupted in a cold tone of voice. There was only one thing that they should be focusing on and patching up some stranger's family wasn't it.

"Right." Mr. Barkley said sending an apologetic smile towards his daughter.

John turned to face Dean. "Did you tell him?" He asked.

"No, he doesn't remember much." Dean answered.

John nodded.

"Dad, I really think we should tell him." Dean somewhat pleaded. "I mean, it's his body. I don't think it's right to hide it from him, besides he'll figure it out eventually."

John sighed. "I don't know how he's going to take it."

"Oh, trust me, he'll be freaked." Dean sighed tiredly.

John and Dean walked down the hall only to find that Sam had fallen back asleep. "You stay with him. I'll go make lunch." John said. "Guess, we'll tell him this afternoon."

Dean nodded in agreement. There was no way he was keeping this from Sam.

John made spaghetti while discussing options with Mr. Barkley, Laura had left a while ago, not wanting to be near her father right now. Dean put a plate aside for Sam and sighed again, he was not looking forward to what they had to do. "Dean…" John started.

"Yeah, let's go. You wait here." Dean ordered glaring at the doctor. "Hey Sammy, I need you to wake up for me." He said gently shaking Sam's shoulder.

"Dean?" Sam asked his voice unsure.

"Yeah Sammy, it's me." He glanced over his shoulder at his dad before continuing. "Listen kid, we gotta talk."

"Can't it wait Dean, I really don't feel good." Sam said, a shiver running up the length of his spine.

"That's why we gotta talk." He sat down on the edge of Sam's bed. "Sam, the reason why you don't feel good is because when you were at Laura's house, her dad… he did something to you." Dean replied.

"What did he do? Dean… what?" Sam asked fearfully.

"Sammy, this is gonna sound crazy but please believe me because I promise you I'm telling you the truth." He hesitated.

"Dean, you're scaring me. What's going on?" Sam asked.

"Laura's dad injected you with something and now you're…" Dean found it hard to get the next set of words out of his mouth.

"I'm what?" Sam asked turning fearful eyes towards his dad who remained stoically silent.

"You're pregnant." Dean whispered.

"Ha-ha, Dean, in case you forgot April Fool's Day was last week." He said glancing back and forth between his dad and brother. "Oh… oh my god, you're serious." He said realizing that neither of them was joking or saying 'got ya'.

"Sammy?" Dean asked placing his hand on Sam's shoulder.

Sam's shoulders started to shake as he began to sob. Dean kept his hand on Sam's shaking shoulder while looking pleadingly at his father for help. John walked over and kneeled down on the opposite side of Sam. "Sammy, son, look at me please."

Sam kept his eyes clenched shut and refused to obey his dad.

Dean and John were each at a loss of what to do as they watched their youngest break down in front of them.

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Hey! So, how was it? Should I continue it or scrap it, please let me know. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to read this and let me know your opinion. As for the people who are reading 'Into the Real World', I know I promised that the chapter would be up by the end of the week, unfortunately it's going to be a little later but I'll do my best to get it up ASAP. Thanks again! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Hey! Thank you SOOOO much for all the responses for chapter one, I'm really happy that you guys like the story so far and I hope that you will continue to enjoy it. Here's chapter two, I hope you guys like it! I really do love hearing from everybody so please feel free to let me know what you thought of the chapter, it's very much appreciated!

If anyone has something that they'd like to see happen in this story, feel free to let me know and I'll see what I can do for ya. As always, constructive critism is welcome, it's how I make the story better.

Thanks again for taking the time to read my story! And another thank you goes out to everybody who sends me a review! Enjoy! :)

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John sighed tiredly as he looked around the living room. There were no longer any missing person posters or print-outs regarding whatever demon, spirit, or creature was responsible for the local mayhem but instead, papers about pregnancy and everything that came with it pinned to the walls. At times he still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that his baby was having a baby and he doubted he ever would. He knew that this wasn't a happy time for his little family, hell, he couldn't remember the last time it was and watching Sam suffer from fevers that almost always caused seizures over the past week and a half, John didn't know how or if any of them were going to survive nine months of this.

"I'll be back," Dean said suddenly standing up from the rickety table and shaking John out of his thoughts.

John nodded, not looking up from his reading, no need to ask where his oldest was going.

~DW/SW~

"Hey Sammy, you awake yet dude?" Dean asked quietly walking over to Sam's bed trying to keep up a normal appearance.

Sam didn't answer but a small grimace appeared on his face as he started to wake up, a dull ache in the pit of his stomach.

Dean saw it and sat down on Sam's bed. "What's wrong?" He asked instantly checking Sam for a fever, letting out a relieved breath when Sam's forehead felt cool for the first time in days.

Sam glared at Dean. _I'm pre…_ tears pricked his eyes and he turned his head away, not wanting Dean to see him break down again.

"Sammy, what is it?" Dean repeated. Each day that passed Dean grew more and more worried about his younger brother. Sam slept all day which he guessed wasn't anything too out of the ordinary considering their situation. He'd read that pregnant woman were often tired in the beginning of their pregnancies and required naps but he hated how withdrawn Sam had become. Granted, he'd been rather out of it the past week and a half but still, he was pale and weak even when he was conscious, nothing like the vibrant and energetic fifteen year old Dean was used to. "Are ya feeling okay?" Dean asked smoothing down Sam's bangs.

"I'm fine." Sam answered pushing the covers back and having to hold on to the nightstand before he got his bearings.

Dean was immediately up and behind Sam, a steadying hand on his brother's back. Sam shrugged Dean off before growling, "I got it."

He backed off a fraction of an inch, just so he wasn't breathing down his brother's neck but close enough to catch him if he stumbled.

Sam headed into the bathroom and closed the door behind him, locking it and starting the shower, hoping it would mask the sound of his crying.

"Sammy, I know you're scared right now and you have every right to be but dad and I… we're gonna take care of you kid." Dean said as he leaned heavily on the door.

Sam didn't answer and fisted the shower curtain in his hand while holding his cramping stomach with the other. He felt as if someone had reached inside him and decided to wring him like a dish rag.

Dean sighed and walked back to the kitchen to make his brother something to eat. "He's up?" John asked surprised when he saw Dean putting two pieces of toast into the toaster.

"Yeah, I think he's pretending to take a shower." He answered.

"What do you mean pretending?" John asked.

"Dad, he's… how the hell can we help him fight this if he's already given up?" Dean asked and for the first time since this ordeal started, he let his mask slip a little. "I mean, he's just…" Dean shook his head and clenched his fist to try and stop himself from putting it through the wall.

"Dean, I know you're worried about him. Believe me, I am too but how did you expect him to react?" John asked. "Of course he's upset about this… any normal guy would be. Look the good thing is he doesn't have a fever anymore and the seizures have stopped, right? We just have to give him time to adjust. This is a huge and unexpected change for all of us but especially Sam. He'll pull through; we'll make sure of it."

Dean nodded; he wished he was as confident about this as his dad. He was grateful for one small feat though, the fact that the seizures finally seemed to be over. Watching them had been terrible and he'd be happy if he never saw Sam experience another one. The way Sam's jaw would become slack and his eyes rolled back into his head, showing only the whites and seeing his baby brother's rigid body suddenly begin to jerk was the stuff Dean's nightmares were made of. Reminding himself that they seemed to be past that, he shook himself out of his memories. "I'm going to go see if I can get him to eat." He took a breath and put his game-face back on before walking down the hall. When he heard the shower still running, he set the plate down on Sam's nightstand and then walked over to the door, putting his ear against it trying to listen for signs that Sam was in trouble of. "Sammy, how you doing in there?" He asked concerned.

Sam clutched his stomach and groaned. "Go… go away Dean." He replied angrily.

"Do you need anything?" Dean asked.

"N… no, I'll be… oh, god…" He said curling up into a small ball on the floor, trying to find a way to relieve the intense pressure on his stomach.

Dean felt like screaming when he heard his brother's sobs coming from the other side of the wooden door. Not wanting to leave him alone, Dean sank down and sat propped up against the wall forced to hear his brother's pleas for it to stop.

A little while later the door opened and Sam walked out, his hair still dry, a sure sign he'd never been in the shower. Ignoring Dean, he climbed back into his bed burrowing under the covers. Dean was determined not to let Sam waste the day away anymore and walked over to him. "I brought you some breakfast." He said nudging the plate closer to Sam.

Sam nodded but made no move to touch it.

When a few moments passed and Sam still hadn't moved Dean tried again. "C'mon Sammy, you need to eat… for you and the baby." Dean encouraged knowing how weird that sentence was.

Sam scoffed. "Do you know how… the…" He shook his head.

"How what Sammy?" Dean asked moving a little closer to his brother.

"Am I freak or what… Sorry I dragged you guys into this mess." Sam said quietly. "I know there's people out there that need saving, it's okay, I understand…"

"What Sammy, what are you talking about?" Dean asked very concerned. He had no idea what his brother was going on about. For all he cared, the world could be over-run with demons, which he already thought it might be, but until Sam was fighting fit again, Dean wasn't going to leave his brother's side not for anybody.

Sam was about to answer when his stomach cramped again. He quickly curled his knees to his chest and began to rock back and forth, pleading with his muscles to settle down. "Oh god, Dean…" Sam cried.

Tears stung Dean's eyes as he watched Sam suffer. It was something he didn't think he'd ever be able to stomach. "Sammy what is it? What's wrong?" He asked moving down to look his brother in the eye. He reached forward and gently brushed the bangs off Sam's forehead.

Sam reached out a shaky hand and wrapped it around Dean's wrist. "Please… make it stop." He begged.

Dean didn't know what was causing his brother so much pain or how to make it go away so he did the only thing he could think of. He pulled back the covers of Sam's bed and crawled in next to him. Dean pulled Sam close so that Sam's face was buried in his shoulder and gently rocked him. "Shh Sammy, shh, it's gonna be okay. I promise." He murmured.

Tears filled Sam's eyes as he doubled over in pain and dug his fingers into his brother's muscular arms hard enough to leave marks.

"Shh Sammy, breathe Sam breathe." Dean coached gently rubbing Sam's back.

After several minutes had passed, the cramping finally subsided and Sam relaxed back into his brother's loving and secure embrace. He closed his eyes and almost immediately fell asleep absolutely exhausted. Dean looked down at his little brother who was finally relaxing in his arms. He was careful not to disturb Sam as he gently placed his hand on Sam's flat stomach, amazed at the fact that he now he had a little niece or nephew in there.

~DW/SW~

An hour after Sam woke up he heard the doorbell ring and turned over on his side, facing away from his older brother.

Dean sighed and set the plate with Sam's half eaten toast on the nightstand. Seeing his brother's dejected body posture and knowing that Sam wasn't going to listen to words right now, Dean simply reached over and gently squeezed his shoulder. They both knew who was at the door and neither was particularly fond of the man.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. "Boys, the doc's here." John said opening the door wider.

"C'mon kiddo." Dean said only to have Sam remain rigidly still. "Give us a few minutes."

John nodded and closed the door again.

"Sammy," Dean started before Sam cut him off.

"Save it Dean." Sam replied not in the mood to hear more reassurances about how this was all going to work out. He was fifteen years old, pregnant and oh yeah, he was a GUY! Sam was pissed off and if he was honest, he was scared… really scared.

Dean shook his head and followed Sam into the living room, today was their first official appointment with Dr. Barkley. Dr. Barkley stood up from his seat on the couch and approached his newest patient but looked at John for direction, he wasn't sure how to go about this.

"Where would be the best place?" John asked feeling nervous himself. He'd gone to Mary's appointments with her but he was sure that this was going to be quite different.

"Um, let's see… probably wherever Sam can lie down and be the most comfortable." Dr. Barkley replied.

"Sam, where do you want to be?" John asked.

_Not here _Sam thought as he shrugged having to hold on to the back of the couch to keep from falling over.

"I know you probably want him to lie down but…" Dr. Barkley spoke up. "I… ah, I need some information first… you know, for his file."

"Like what?" Dean asked skeptically.

"His height and weight, I can get the other information once he's lying down." Dr. Barkley explained.

_I'm right here ya know_ Sam thought not liking the way he was being talked about.

John nodded. "I'll be right back." He said going into the bathroom and grabbing the scale that the previous home owners had left behind. He returned a minute later and set it in front of his son. "Come on, up we go." John said helping Sam to stand on shaky legs.

Sam glanced at his dad before shuffling onto the scale.

Dr. Barkley walked over and noted that Sam weighed just under one hundred and twenty pounds. "Thank you. Now, I need his height."

"He's five-six." Dean answered coming to stand beside his brother.

"When was the last time you measured him?" He asked.

Dean thought for a moment. "About a month ago."

Dr. Barkley saw how shaky and pale Sam was and decided that he could get the rest of the information without his patient having to be on his feet.

"Come on, let's get you back to bed, we'll see you guys in there." Dean offered gently taking his brother's elbow grateful and yet worried when Sam didn't shrug off his assistance.

After Dean had made sure Sam was comfortable, John and Dr. Barkley came in. Dr. Barkley took Sam's vital stats such as his blood pressure and his heart rate finding that Sam's blood pressure was a bit high. "So should we get started?" Dr. Barkley asked sounding very uncomfortable.

John and Dean nodded while Sam remained silent.

"Okay, Sam… can I get you to change into this please?" Dr. Barkley asked handing Sam a lightweight hospital gown.

_Why the hell didn't he have him change before he got into the bed?_ Dean asked himself a bit angrily.

Sam nodded and gingerly climbed out of bed, aware of the three sets of eyes on him, before heading into the bathroom trying to hide his embarrassment. Once he had the gown on, he made his way back to his bed ready to follow the next set of demeaning instructions he was sure he had to follow.

Dr. Barkley had Sam lie back on the bed and then placed a blanket over Sam's lap for privacy before pulling up the gown. Sam looked away as his cheeks flushed red as Dr. Barkley rolled what Sam assumed to be an ultrasound machine up to the side of the bed. "We'll use that in a minute, first, I just want to feel around." He explained before putting his hands on Sam's abdomen. Sam's stomach was no longer bruised but it was still slightly swollen and a little hard to the touch as he had suspected it would be.

John and Dean waited with bated breath to see what the doctor was going to say about their youngest. Sam lay back on the bed with his eyes closed, trying to picture himself anywhere else and attempting to ignore the doctor's hands on him.

"Well, it feels as it should so I'd say that's a good sign but let's take a look shall we?" He asked pulling the little machine closer sounding a bit more relaxed and in control. "I'm sorry if this is a bit cold Sam."

Sam's facial expression didn't change as the doctor started up the machine and placed a bit of the cold gel on Sam's exposed stomach. "Okay, let's see… here it is…" He said pointing to a blurry gray image on the screen. Dean thought it couldn't have been bigger than the size of a peanut, he glanced around at his family seeing Sam unchanged and his dad with a far off look in his eyes.

John saw the image on the screen and was instantly transported back nineteen years.

"_There's your baby, right there." The technician said pointing her finger at the screen._

"_The little gray thing?" John asked._

"_Yes John, the little gray thing." She answered._

"_Wow," John murmured softly as he stared at the black and white image. He looked at his wife and saw tears forming in Mary's eyes. "Mare?" He asked reaching out and covering her hand with his._

"_I… I can't see it." Mary cried softly._

"_Can you pull that closer?" John asked the technician. _

_She nodded and pulled it closer to the bed. John leaned over a little and placed his index finger towards the bottom left hand corner of the screen. "See Mary, he's real tiny," John said, it was no secret that he wanted a son. "But he's right there, the little gray thing, do you see him now?" He asked._

_Mary nodded and wiped a hand across her face before reaching forward and gently stroking the screen. "My baby." She smiled._

_John turned towards her. "Our baby." He corrected giving her a quick kiss._

"Dad?" Dean called for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

"I'm sorry, what is it Dean?" John asked shaking himself out of his memories.

"The doc wants to talk to us." Dean answered and it was then that John realized Dean was standing beside the bed, one hand gently brushing through his brother's curls. Sam's face was turned away from him but he knew by the defeated slump of his shoulders that his youngest was upset and probably close to tears.

"Right, yeah, of course." John said standing up as well.

"Be right back kiddo." Dean said flashing his brother a supportive smile, Sam didn't seem to notice. "What is it?" Dean asked.

"I just wanted to give you an update on Sam's condition." Dr. Barkley replied. "John, as I was telling Sam and Dean, Sam is expecting twins."

John did a double take repeating Dean's earlier actions. "I'm sorry… I thought you just said twins?"

"Yes, we won't be able to tell what sex they are for a while but yes, Sam is going to have twins." Dr. Barkley said not completely surprised by John and Dean's reactions. He'd almost always received the same reaction when giving the news to expectant couples, he understood how this would shock the father and older brother of what he was sure was the first pregnant man. "John, since Sam is a minor and you are his parent, I do need your permission."

"My permission?" John asked concerned. "For what?"

"I would like to get Sam started on a daily medication regime." He explained.

"He needs medicine?" Dean asked worriedly. He knew that his brother wasn't healthy but still the idea that Sam need medicine to help with this scared him.

"Only to help his body adjust, you're probably going to think I'm crazy…" He started.

"All due respect doc but I think we passed crazy about ten miles back." Dean interrupted.

"Good point… I'd like to get him started on daily hormone injections." He explained.

Both John and Dean looked shocked, to say the least, at his suggestion.

"We'll do the first injection in a few minutes so I can teach the two of you how to administer them. Do you have any questions?" He asked.

"Um, is cramping normal because Sam's been going through hell with it for the past few days." Dean asked.

"Most pregnant women do have some cramping but I think most, if not all of Sam's symptoms will be exaggerated due to the situation." Dr. Barkley explained.

"Is there anything we can do for it?" Dean asked.

"Warm bathes might help to relax his muscles. Other than that, just try to keep him comfortable. And since he's probably going to start experiencing morning sickness soon, there's some herbal teas that tend to help with that part of it." He answered.

Dean nodded thinking the baths and teas shouldn't be a problem, his little brother liked girly frilly stuff like that.

"Now, should I show you how?" He asked.

John nodded. "How often would we have to give him these shots?" He asked as they walked back into the room. Sam was lying on his back but facing away from his family and the doctor. Seeing his son's defeated form, he knew he had to save the fact that he now had two grandchildren on the way and deal with it later. He couldn't panic about it now, now he needed to focus on how to help his son through this because it was obvious that it wasn't going to be an easy or short road.

"I'm going to ask you two to do it twice a day, once in the morning when he wakes up and once before bed. It would probably be better if he didn't receive it on an empty stomach. Has he eaten anything so far today?" Dr. Barkley asked.

"Ah, he ate a bit of toast earlier." Dean answered.

"That'll work." The doctor replied while getting his supplies out. He then turned to his patient. "Sam, I already explained this to your brother and dad and now I'd like to tell you." He said unsure if the young teen was even listening to him at this point. It had been a long day for everyone involved but especially for Sam. "In order to help you adjust and for your babies to grow healthily, I'd like to get you started on daily hormone injections. I'm just going to show Dean and your dad how to give them to you, okay?"

_Dean's gonna have a field day _Sam thought but he nodded ready for this to be over with, he was tired, scared, in pain and just wanted everyone to leave him alone.

"I need you to lay on your side for me Sam." He instructed.

Sam begrudgingly followed the doctor's orders and laid down on his side holding tight to the blanket over him, he could feel the blood rush to his face in embarrassment, he still had the gown on and he definitely didn't want to give his family a bird's eye view of himself.

Dr. Barkley turned back to face Dean and John. "Okay, first you have to mix these two solutions thoroughly. Then, I want you to fill the needle up with 2mg of the combined mixture." He demonstrated each step as he said it. "Squeeze the trigger a little to make sure there's no air and then you're ready to administer it." He turned back to Sam. "Sam, I'm going to give you your first dose okay."

Sam nodded and closed his eyes when he felt a familiar hand on top of his head. _I guess I don't get any privacy_ he thought when the blanket was removed and his gown was pushed up.

Using a steady hand, Dr. Barkley quickly injected the hormones into Sam's bottom. "And we're done. Before I go, Sam do you have any questions for me?" He asked.

Sam shook his head as he pulled the blanket back up trying to force back the tears.

"Alright, well then, that's it for today. I'll see you again next week and remember call immediately if you have any questions or concerns." He gave them all a small smile before heading out the door.

~DW/SW~

Dean was in the shower and Sam was napping, once again, as John sat out in the living room sorting things through. Twins, he couldn't believe it! Sam being pregnant with one baby was insane enough but two… he hated to say it, but he didn't think he was going to handle his son's changing body well and with Sam's temper coupled with hormones, John shuddered. Sam's changing body was just one of John's many worries. He knew he had to find a better place for them to live now. He just wasn't sure how actually possible it was, he didn't have a paying job and credit card scams and hustling only brought in so much. John also realized that hunting would have to take a backseat for once. He couldn't track back and forth across the country with a pregnant son and he knew Dean would never allow it anyway. He was also concerned that if some of his hunting 'buddies' did find out about his youngest, what would their reaction be? He knew this wasn't normal and most hunters viewed anything as not normal as unnatural and well, he knew how that ended. No, he had to get his boys somewhere safe and hidden and soon.

The phone ringing brought John out of his thoughts. He walked over to the counter and grabbed it off the hook. "'Ello?" He asked gruffly.

"John, it's Bobby." His old friend answered.

"Bobby…" John drifted off as he remembered the hunt Bobby had called him with. _Shit!_

"Where are ya? I thought you and the boys were gonna take care of that spirit over in Wellsly." Bobby replied.

"Yeah about that, I…" How did he explain this without saying what had actually happened though he wasn't worried about Bobby coming after Sam. The man was like an uncle to his boys and fiercely protective. "Sam got sick."

"How bad?" Bobby asked knowing that it had to be bad if it made John skip out on a hunt.

"Seizures, Dean and I… we… we can't leave him, not now." John explained. "I'm sorry but…"

"Shit Johnny, is he okay?" Bobby asked.

"It's gonna take a while but he will be." John refused to believe that his son would end up like the others.

"How's Dean doing?" Bobby asked knowing that the middle Winchester had to be freaked out.

"He's worried, we both are. I… Sam's not doing well and I don't know how much longer we can keep it up. If there was a way I could have stopped this… it's not what we need…"

~DW/SW~

Sam stood in the hallway listening to his dad talking on the phone, tears forming in his eyes as he realized just how big a burden he was. _I'll be gone before you know it_ Sam thought as he made his way slowly and painfully back to his room. He curled up under the covers and waited for Dean to come in and go to bed so he could leave without having to see their relieved faces at his departure.

~DW/SW~

John hung up the phone and sighed tiredly, raking a hand through his hair. Bobby was one of his closest friends and he knew he could count on him and he felt bad for ditching the hunt but his boys were more important and he had to put them first, especially now. He knew Bobby would find out about Sam eventually, he just didn't want it to be yet. No reason to share unneeded information that was John's motto especially after having had a few run-ins with child protective services. Bobby had really come in handy then as had a few others, Caleb and Pastor Jim coming to mind instantly.

Caleb was only five years older than Dean and the two of them had hit it off instantly. He knew he would always be grateful to the young man, he'd been the one to help draw Dean out of his shell after Mary died and that was something John could never repay him enough for. That had been the darkest period of his life, even after the war and he couldn't imagine a four year old trying to process it.

Pastor Jim was another one of his few, close friends even though the two hardly ever saw eye to eye. Pastor Jim was well… religious, John wasn't but he knew the man was an intricate part of their life, especially Sam's. Sammy… his baby boy was something else and even though he and Sam butted heads quite frequently, he loved his son dearly and was immensely proud of him. Sam was smart, stubborn, thoughtful, tough and yet very sensitive but lately it seemed like he needed a sense of direction, one John couldn't give him and he was thankful that Pastor Jim had been one to reach the stubborn and rebellious teen. Sam had grown quite fond of the pastor during the eleven years they'd known the man and almost always listened to what the man had to say.

Tired and worn out, John shut off his thoughts and walked down the hall. He peeked his head into Sam and Dean's room satisfied when he saw both appearing to be sleeping soundly and headed into his own room.

Sam kept his breathing even; he wasn't quite sure how he managed that considering the pain he was in and waited for his dad to leave. He waited for another couple minutes to pass and then silently slipped out of his bed and towards the door, being careful to avoid the floor where he knew it was creaky. _I'm sorry_ he thought as he slipped out the front door unnoticed by either member of his family.

* * *

Hey! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are love so please let me know what you thought. Thanks again! :)


	3. Chapter 3

Hi guys! I know this update is late and I'm really sorry for that! Just with moving and signing up for spring classes, kind of made me put this on the backburner but luckily all of that is taken care of so I should be able to update more frequently.

I'm really glad to hear that all of you are enjoying this story so much! It means a lot to know that you guys appreciate and enjoy what I'm putting out there. I love your reviews so please keep sending them and remember constructive critism (I have no idea if that's the right spelling, probably not...) is welcome as are suggestions. I'm going to try and make Sam go through everything pregnant woman go through but since I've never been pregnant, it'll mostly be info from the internet and my mom's medical books so if you know something I don't, please share.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy it and will leave me a review! Now, on with the story...

* * *

Sam hadn't been walking for long but he knew he couldn't last much longer. He felt shaky and weak as he trudged down the road heading away from his house but the physical pain he was in was nothing compared to his broken heart. His dad and older brother had always meant everything to him, he'd always needed them around and to hear his dad say that he wasn't needed… it made him feel more alone than he'd ever thought possible. _Screw them, if I'm not being 'helpful' to them, then I guess I'm doing all of us a favor, now aren't I _Sam thought bitterly as he hastily wiped his tears away. _I just need to catch my breath, I'll get going again in a minute_ he added putting a hand on his stomach and sat down with his back against a tree. He thanked god that the cramping hadn't hit him yet, he knew he'd never get anywhere when it did but it still hurt a lot... more than any hunting injury he'd ever had the unfortunate chance to experience.

~DW/SW~

"Dad! Dad, wake up!" Dean shouted shaking John none too gently.

"Dean?" John asked still half asleep. "What's go…?"

"Sam's missing." Dean interrupted. "I… I woke up in the middle of the night and… and his bed, it's empty. I already checked around the house… he's not here dad."

John was instantly out of bed and quickly threw on a pair of jeans. "We'll find him." He reassured his oldest. He knew Sam couldn't have gotten far, his youngest was in no shape to be out on his own right now and that was what had him worried. Normally, he'd at least have the confidence of knowing that Sam knew how to fight and would be able to defend himself but now Sam was like a newborn fawn needing help just to get in between rooms. If something were to attack him, human or otherwise … John didn't want to think about the possible outcome of that particular fight.

"We have to." Dean said already heading for the door with John following. For him, there wasn't any other option than finding his brother. He'd turn this small-town upside down until they did.

"Dean," John said placing a hand on Dean's shoulder.

"What?" Dean practically growled. He was tired, stressed, worried and pissed off… at himself and also at Sam. How the hell had his incredibly weak little brother gotten out of the house without him knowing, that didn't sit right with him, not at all. Even without his sharp hunting skills, his big brother radar as Sam had deemed it, should have alerted him the second his pig-headed brother had decided to leave.

John decided to ignore Dean's attitude for once, arguing wasn't going to get Sam back to them. "I want you to wait here." He ordered.

"What, no, dad, I can't… Sammy's out there, I have to find him." Dean protested.

"I want one of us to be here just in case he shows up or calls." John replied, he didn't think his stubborn, mule-headed youngest showing back up at the house was all that likely but he wanted all his bases covered. "If I'm not home in an hour, call Bobby, he's not far away. He can help us look."

Dean nodded and watched with a pleading look in his eyes as John drove off in search of their missing family member. _Please find him, please._

~DW/SW~

Dean was pacing the length of the living room, his gun in one hand, the phone in the other as he constantly looked back and forth between the window and the phone. _C'mon Sammy, where are you_? He prayed someone would answer him, even if he didn't believe much in angels or god. In his opinion, if there was a higher power up there, it obviously didn't care much about him, his family or what happened to them. _What the hell were you thinking little brother?_ He never liked Sam being out on his own at night, something that drove his brother crazy, but especially now with his brother being so vulnerable and pregnant. It was then that it hit him. His brother was pregnant, not his sister, his brother…

_Holy fucking shit_ Dean thought before he was running to the bathroom praying to the porcelain god as the full extent of what that meant finally hit home. _Fuck, fuck, fuck_ Dean thought as he suddenly had a million worries racing through his head. _He knew his brother didn't have a uterus so where exactly were the babies? Were they even human or did his brother have some mutant demon children inside him_ and the thought that made him gag and flinch a bit…_ just how in the world was Sam expected to give birth to these things?_ Because he was pretty sure from changing Sam's diapers and potty training him over the years, his brother was definitely missing _that_ equipment and somehow, he didn't think Dr. Barkley would be able to answer his questions. "Shit Sammy, why do you always attract the freaks?"

~DW/SW~

John drove down the dirt road keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of his son. He growled and hit his fist against the steering wheel when he failed to note anything useful. _There's no way he could have gotten far, he can't have been gone that long and he's weak_ John thought. "Come on Sammy, where are you?" John asked no one in particular, not realizing he was copying Dean's thoughts back at the house.

~DW/SW~

Dean had been lost in his thoughts, not that he wanted to be with the things he was thinking. He'd seen pregnant women before and he vaguely recalled when his mom had been pregnant with Sammy but thinking about everything that they went through… and now Sam would have the pleasure of experiencing it. _Guess I can't call him a girl anymore_ Dean thought. _Shit, Sammy's already a whiny little bitch, hormones…_ His phone ringing startled him back to reality.

"Did you find him?" Dean asked not giving his dad a chance to get a word in.

"No," John answered and he heard something crash onto the floor. "Dean!" He snapped picturing his oldest destroying their place. "Calm down and stop acting like you're two. I know you're worried, I am too but breaking what little furniture we have won't find your brother now take a breath, hang up and call Bobby." John ordered in his army sergeant voice. He heard Dean's breathing even out. "Good, now call Bobby, that's an order."

Dean nodded and hung up the phone dialing his 'uncle's' number. "Ah Bobby, hey, it's Dean," He said after a gruff hello from the other hunter.

"Dean, you know I enjoy your help around the cars boy but you had better have a good god-damn reason to wake me up at," He glanced at the clock on the wall. "Four freaking thirty in the morning or so help me god, you will never be able to work on a car again!"

"I need your help Bobby, Sam ran away. Dad's out looking for him right now but he called and said he couldn't find him and so…" Bobby cut Dean's rambling off.

"We're coming Dean, we'll be there soon." He said already heading down the hall and banging on the door which he knew hid another useful hunter and now apparent Sammy-locater.

Dean nodded. "Kay," He sighed wearily and hung up the phone, hanging his head in his hands. He needed his brother back home first before he could even come close to relaxing.

"Caleb! Wake your stupid ass up and meet me downstairs in five!" Bobby yelled. He heard the young hunter grown. "Hey, if I can be up this early in the morning at my old age, you should have no problem!"

~DW/SW~

After driving down the highway for a little bit longer, John decided to head back to the house feeling like a complete failure. _Mary would kick my ass right _now he thought. He could track practically any demon or creature but he couldn't find his sick, pregnant son. John slammed on the breaks of his truck and began to breathe heavily as that finally seemed to register with him. _He's fucking pregnant… by a god damn demon! Shit, shit, shit, shit… what the hell am I gonna do? Jim, Jim can exorcise the bastards out of Sam and then we can put this behind us and forget all about it_ John let out a relieved sigh at that. He had a solution now, a way to get the poison out of his son so that they could move on.

He saw as he pulled up to the house that Bobby… and Caleb had just pulled up as well. "Johnny!" Bobby shouted climbing out of his truck and heading towards his old friend.

"Inside," John ordered and both Bobby and Caleb followed him obediently inside, all three taken back by the shape the room was in. "I thought I told you to calm down." John was angry as he looked around the destroyed room. Chairs were turned over and there were a couple holes in the wall, and if John wasn't mistaken, they looked a hell of a lot like they could have been made by Dean's fist. Not that the bloody knuckles his son was now sporting didn't do anything to help convince him that Dean had been using the walls as a punching bag recently.

Dean shook his head throwing the now bloody dish rag away. "I can't calm down dad! Sammy's out there alone and with god knows what after him! You saw the condition he was in dad… he couldn't fight off a fly let alone whatever demon or other bastard is out there right now! Fuck dad, he's alone… and pregnant for god's sake… what if someone finds him and takes him to the hospital and they find out…" Caleb cut Dean off.

"Dean, what the hell do you mean by pregnant? You guys are insane, Sam's a guy, you realize that right?" He asked, he and Bobby looking between the two Winchesters trying to figure out just what the hell was going on.

"I'm leaving. I'll come back when I find him." Dean said before storming out the door. He didn't have time to explain this to Caleb or Bobby, he knew they wouldn't believe him and each second they stayed at the house arguing over whether or not he and his dad were mental was another second Sam was alone, vulnerable and probably hurting.

Bobby and John watched as Caleb followed Dean out of the room and stood in angry, awkward silence. "I think you'd better start at the beginning John." Bobby said as John took a seat at the table and motioned for him to do the same.

~DW/SW~

"Get out." Dean ordered when Caleb climbed into the front passenger seat.

"Sorry man, no can do. I'm not going to let you go out there half-cocked and ready to shoot anything that pisses you off. You're not doing this alone." Caleb replied.

"Don't tell me how to act Caleb, it's my brother out there." Dean said with his jaw clenched shut as he made the engine roar to life.

"Yeah, mine too. I also have an irrational one right here." He retorted.

Dean looked like he was about to argue until Caleb shot him a glare. "You can sit here and argue with me all you want or we can go find the kid, what is it going to be?" Caleb asked, already knowing the answer.

~DW/SW~

Sam started to stir when he felt someone touching him and lifting his shirt up. "Dea… leave me alone…" He groaned tiredly before opening his eyes and seeing a black-haired man crouching down in front of him. "Hey! Get off me!" He said using as much force as he could muster to shove the man away which didn't amount to much. "Get your hands off me!" Sam continued to weakly struggle against the stranger. Even if he was no longer a part of the family, he was still a Winchester and he had no intention of letting this guy get him easily… he'd already made that mistake once.

The man didn't answer and he continued to rub Sam's still fairly flat stomach. Then the man grinned, this was definitely the young Winchester boy he'd heard about and he was incredibly pleased he'd been the first one to find him, he knew others were looking. Suddenly he heard a car going abnormally slow down the highway and he dropped the boy's t-shirt looking behind him. "See you in nine months Sam." He said before quickly vanishing into the dense forest.

"Stop the car!" Caleb ordered suddenly as he saw something disappear off to his right.

"What?" Dean asked still scanning his side of the road for any signs of his brother.

"I think I saw something," He answered.

"Where?" Dean asked already shutting the car off and climbing out.

"Over there," Caleb said pointing to a tree a little ways off of the road. Dean looked in the direction Caleb was pointing and immediately took off running. He could see there was something lying huddled underneath the tree and prayed it was his mop-headed brother. He picked up speed as he got closer and realized that it was indeed his little brother.

"Sammy!" He shouted dropping to his knees beside him, Caleb not far behind.

Sam opened his eyes again and looked around. "Where'd he go?" He asked confused.

"Who Sammy?" Dean asked as he looked his brother over, trying to spot any obvious injuries. He didn't see that there wasn't anything additional wrong with his brother.

"You came back." Sam noted tears springing to his eyes.

Dean was confused.

"I… I didn't even think you'd look." Dean cut his brother off.

"Course I looked, been looking since," He glanced at his watch. "Since about two this morning when I found your bed empty. What the hell were you thinking ya idiot?"

Sam shrugged sure Dean was just playing nice. "Where did he go?" He asked changing the subject.

"Sammy, I… who are you talking about?" He asked trying to follow his brother's line of thinking.

"The… the man, he was here a second ago. He was touching me." Sam said unintentially causing fury to build in his big brother's stomach. Dean had been the one to give him 'the talk' and he had warned his brother about the sick people out there, not wanting him to be caught off guard but he'd also stressed that if something like that ever were to happen, none of it would be Sam's fault.

"Where did he touch you?" Dean asked trying to keep his voice calm. If what he thought had happened actually did, his brother would need reassurance and lots of it. "Sammy, it's okay… just tell me where the man touched you?" He repeated cupping Sam's cheek. He didn't feel like he was talking to or looking at a fifteen year old well-trained hunter, instead, he saw a little five year old with dark, curly hair with a million never ending questions.

"My stomach… it was weird…" Sam drifted off not wanting to let Caleb know how badly he'd messed up.

"What was weird Sammy?" Dean pushed. _Other than some stranger stopping to take an interest in you_ he thought.

"He said he'd see me in nine months..." Sam looked up at Dean with a scared look in his eyes.

Dean let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He was feeling slightly relieved that it hadn't been some perverted drifter feeling his brother up but the fact that it was someone or something that knew about Sam's condition didn't really help to make him feel any better either. "Come on, let's get you home. Dad's worried sick."

Sam huffed. "I doubt that… doubt he wants my useless ass around, especially when I'm big and swollen." The tears that had been receding decided to make an appearance again.

Dean stopped. "What?" He asked. As far as he was aware, their dad and Sam hadn't fought in weeks, not since Sam was attacked. It had been unusually pleasant not having to be caught in the middle of a Winchester war.

"I heard him on the phone last night Dean… he told Bobby," Sam bit his lip before continuing. "He told Bobby I'm not what you guys need right now and he's right… I, I don't think I'm going to be much use on hunts when I have to go to the bathroom every five seconds." Sam had begun to cry now.

"You idiot, that's not what he said." Caleb said as he stood beside Dean.

Dean turned around and glared at him. "Don't call him an idiot." He ground out. _Even if he is acting like one, no need to give another reason for his hormones to act up. Besides, I'm the only one who gets to insult the kid… even if you are an honorary big brother._

Sam sniffed. "You weren't there Caleb, you didn't hear him… he… he said if he could have stopped this he would and that it's not what I… it's not what we need… and I agree with him. Maybe it would have been better if that demon had taken me."

"Don't say that." Dean growled.

"You weren't there either Sam, Bobby told me how worried your dad actually sounded and I mean come on, it's a rare thing for John to sound anything but army-tough. Do you want to know what he actually said?" Caleb asked.

Sam didn't answer.

"He said it's not what you need as in he's scared, he wants you to be healthy and not just so you can go help him hunt. You're his son and trust me, I've seen him when the two of you have been in dark places before and well, he doesn't count you being knocked by a demon healthy." Caleb replied.

Sam blanched when he realized Caleb did know what had happened to him and he wanted to be angry with his family for letting that slip but right now, he just didn't have the energy. Dean saw the exhaustion written across his brother's face and draped Sam's arm over his shoulders. "Come on, what do you say we end this little angry-I'm-the-unloved-stepchild-act and get you home?"

Sam nodded. "That um, that sounds good… but are you sure dad's gonna wanna see me?"

"Sam," Dean sighed starting to get a bit annoyed. "Dad went out looking for you earlier, when he couldn't find you, we called Bobby and Caleb so yes, trust me, dad wants to see you."

"O… okay," Sam sniffed using the hand that wasn't clutching his brother for support to wipe away his tears.

"Good, glad we got that settled." Dean replied. "Oh and Sammy?"

"Yeah?" Sam answered.

"You ever take off like that again, pregnant or not, I will kick your ass, you hear me?" His words sounded harsh but both Sam and Caleb knew full-well that it was an empty threat.

~DW/SW~

The demon watched from the shadows as the three young hunters headed back towards their car. He had almost been caught and really it didn't matter but he knew the boy was safe… for now, at least. He'd have to keep an eye out and make sure it stayed that way so the boy was ready for him when the time came.

~DW/SW~

"So, he's really pregnant?" Bobby asked stunned as he sat across from John. "All because a demon injected him with something?"

John nodded. "I think we have a fair guess at what was in the injection. I know, it sounds crazy Bobby but the guy…"

"The guy? As in the guy who was possessed and attacked Sam, you're trusting him!? How the hell do you know he's not lying or that he doesn't have some buddies out there waiting to finish the job?" Bobby ranted.

"I don't know Bobby but he's our best choice. If Sammy really is pregnant, then we're gonna need hi…" He stopped suddenly as the door opened and Dean walked in followed by Sam and Caleb. John was out of his seat in an instant. "Sammy," The relief was clear in his voice.

Sam didn't answer and kept his gaze focused on the floor.

"Are you okay?" John asked looking his son over for any obvious injuries.

Sam nodded.

Dean shook his head. "Come on, let's get you into bed."

"Dean…" Sam started to protest but was cut off by the glare his older brother sent his way and walked into their room. _We have to talk_ Dean mouthed behind Sam's back.

~DW/SW~

"Dad, we've got a problem." Dean said opening the door of the refrigerator and taking something unrecognizable to Caleb and Bobby out. He'd gotten Sam settled back under the covers and ordered his brother not to move unless it was for the bathroom, otherwise, he was grounded.

Caleb looked at his friends. "And Sam being preggers isn't?"

Dean flipped Caleb off before dipping the syringe into the bottle. His friend had no idea how worried he was. He knew this was bad, beyond bad but he couldn't freak out because he wasn't so sure he'd be able to make it back if he did and with one son already down, he didn't think his dad would handle that too well. Besides, he'd gotten his frustration out earlier but who knows, maybe he'd go down to the bar and pick a fight with some bikers later?

John ignored Caleb and looked at his son. "What?" He asked not sure he wanted to hear the answer, he wasn't sure what could be worse than his fifteen year old son being pregnant by a demon.

"Sam… after Caleb and I… after we found him, he said there was a guy touching him." At that bit of information, the look on John's face became deadly.

"Did you see the bastard?" John asked eyeing the .45 on the table, ready to go hunt the son of a bitch down.

Caleb spoke up. "Only for a minute… he took off before either of us could get close enough."

John growled, not pleased in the least to hear that.

"Dad, I think it was a demon." Dean continued.

John looked at him questioningly. He knew his son had excellent instincts and he trusted his opinion.

"Sam said the guy would see him in nine months… how the hell would anyone else except the four of us and the doc…" He drifted off, everyone thinking the same thing.

Bobby cast a glance at John. "Looks like your doctor friend isn't so trustworthy Johnny."

John grabbed the .45 off the table and hurried out the door, Bobby on his tail. He wanted a piece of the bastard too. "Watch your brother!" John called needlessly over his shoulder.

~DW/SW~

John pulled up outside the house and ran up the steps, banging on the door not caring that most people were still asleep. If this guy had put Sam in even more danger, John would be all too happy to rip him from limb to limb. When the door wasn't answered quickly enough, John kicked the door down and charged inside tearing his way through the house until he found his prey. He leaned down and whispered, "Wake up!" In the sleeping man's ear.

Dr. Barkley startled awake and was unnerved to find John standing over him. "John… what's going? Is Sam okay?" The doctor asked.

John growled. "I don't know doc, how about you tell me what's going on?" He said bringing his gun up and showing it to the man. Dr. Barkley, being not fond of guns, grew even more worried. "Hoping to prove to someone just what you created?" John asked releasing the safety on the gun and pointing it in the doctor's direction.

Dr. Barkley put his hands up in surrender. "I don't know what you're talking about John." He said trying to placate the angry father.

"So you didn't send some fucking pervert after my son even though you know how weak he is right now?" John asked, feeling no less angry.

"No, John, you, Dean and Sam are the only people I've talked to recently." He answered. "I swear."

John stared at the terrified man before him and slowly lowered his gun putting the safety back on, motioning for Bobby to do the same. His friend growled and sent John a look that clearly read he didn't trust the bastard but he lowered his gun none the less.

"I promise John… I didn't send anyone after Sam. I've already hurt him enough to last a lifetime." John didn't feel any better though. If Dr. Barkley hadn't sent anyone then that meant Dean's theory that it had actually been a demon might be correct and that worried John immensely. "Your family, you guys are the only people I've been in contact with since this all started."

John looked at him questioningly.

"Laura… she ah, she left." He replied and John felt a little bad for the guy, he could only imagine what he was going through. He thought his world would fall apart if either of his boys ever stopped talking to him. "She couldn't, didn't want to be around me and went to go live at her mom's… not that I blame her and my son…" John cut him off.

"Wait, you have a son?" He asked, his heart starting to beat faster.

Dr. Barkley nodded and smiled sadly. "Marcus… I um, I haven't seen him since _that_ day."

John nodded and shared a look with Bobby. Maybe this was their mystery attacker. "Doc, what does your son look like?"

Dr. Barkley looked at John confused wondering what that had to do with anything.

"Answer the question." Bobby ordered in a no nonsense voice raising his gun to emphasize how serious he was.

As if noticing the man for the first time, Dr. Barkley's confusion only grew.

"I'm Sam's uncle and I suggest if you want to continue breathing, you answer John's question." Bobby said.

"Ah… he's tall, blonde hair, skinny, blue eyes… why, what does this have to do with anything?" He asked.

"Doesn't matter so you swear you haven't mentioned this to anyone?" John asked, his voice still holding anger.

Dr. Barkley nodded and watched as the man named Bobby walked out of the room. "Where is he going?"

"It's not important." John answered and stood up. "Pack whatever you're going to need for a while. You're coming with me, now. I don't want you out of my sight." He explained at the look on the man's face.

"What? Why?" He asked.

"Because I told you to, listen, doc… right now, I don't know who I can trust and well with my boys… I don't take chances so therefore, you're living under my very watchful eye as of right now. Now pack." He ordered as Bobby walked back into the room.

At John's questioning look, Bobby nodded. "Caleb said he'll go and Sam is resting according to Dean. Are we ready?" He asked.

John looked at the doctor. "Move faster doc, we gotta go… now." If his hunch was right, John did not want either one of his boys left unprotected right now though he knew his oldest would fight with everything he had for his little brother and that was part of what scared him.

"Who's Caleb?" The doc asked.

"You'll see." Was all John had to say.

~DW/SW~

"Where ya going?" Caleb asked as he watched Dean begin to walk down the hall.

"I just gotta do something real quick." He said juggling the plate with the scrambled eggs and toast on it along with Sam's hormone medications while trying to open the door.

"Do you need help?" Caleb asked.

Dean shook his head. "No, this is something I've gotta do alone." He said before disappearing behind the closed bedroom door. "Hey," He smiled a little when he saw Sam was awake.

Sam looked at the plate and glared at Dean. "I'm not eating that." He said stubbornly.

"You have to," Dean replied. "You have to take your meds and you can't take them on an empty stomach Sam."

"Who said I even wanted these fucking freaks anyway?" He asked trying to hide how upset he was.

"I know you're not happy about this Sam, I know how much this sucks but it's something we have to get through… and we have to keep you the healthiest you can be, I mean, none of us has any idea what's going to happen." He answered.

Sam looked down at his hands that were folded in his lap and began to fiddle his thumbs. That wasn't exactly what he'd wanted to hear.

"One thing I do know is that whatever does happen, we're in this together… as a family, no matter where this takes us, dad, you, and me… we'll go there together." Dean said not able to believe he'd just come up with that spiel of crap.

"I thought you didn't do chick-flicks?" Sam asked with a small smile on his face.

"There's a special on them but only for today." He smiled back. "Now, eat up."

Sam looked at Dean who nodded encouragingly before begrudgingly taking a bite of his toast. After he'd satisfied Dean's requirements, he laid down on his stomach burying his face in his pillow as deep as it could go. "This is so embarrassing." He muttered.

Dean smiled softly choosing to keep any girl comments to himself as he checked the syringe to make sure it was good to go.

Sam felt the pinch of the needle in his behind and was surprised that they'd made it through that without a single girl comment from Dean.

"Done." Dean said throwing the used cap away.

Sam nodded, glad it was over. Even if his brother hadn't made any comments, it was still embarrassing, his older brother having to give him a shot in his buttocks wasn't something he was happy to experience. Sam tried to stifle a yawn.

"Sleep, I doubt you got much on your little trip." Dean shook his head and left, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Hey! So I hope that was worth the wait, I'll try to get the next one up quicker. Thanks again for reading and I hope you'll let me know what you thought. :)


	4. Chapter 4

Hey!

I can't apologize enough for how long it's taken me to write this freaking chapter... I'm so sorry. Also, this chapter is shorter than the rest so I hope it's still okay. Thanks to everyone who is continuing to read this story, I'm glad you're enjoying it! As always, please let me know what you thought of it. Hopefully, you'll like it better than I do. Also, suggestions and constructive critism are always appreciated. Thanks again for your continued support!

Now, unfortunately, I'm going to Michigan for a few days and then I pretty much have finals right after I come back so for the next two weeks or so I probably won't have much time to write but after finals are over, I have six weeks off (Yes, I LOVE college!) and I will be writing a lot then. Oh, and Happy belated Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you had a good holiday!

Enjoy! :)

* * *

"Hey Sam," Dean called walking into their room only to be cut off by the sound of his brother barfing in the bathroom. _Not again_ he groaned as he stepped into the small room. "Hey," He whispered softly making his way over to Sam who was kneeling over the toilet and shaking slightly.

"Gah…" Sam groaned before he was head first in the toilet again.

"Shh, it's gonna be okay Sam." Dean reassured as he opened the medicine cabinet taking out a wash cloth and running it under the water just as he had done every morning for the past week. Sam had begun to experience morning sickness recently and it was brutal. "Breathe, kid, breathe." Dean instructed gently wiping the wet cloth across the back of his brother's neck and slowly rubbing circles on Sam's back.

Sam clutched at the toilet seat and heaved painfully, having nothing left to give. After a couple minutes passed, the dry-heaving stopped and Sam's breathing slowly returned to normal as he sank back tiredly against his older brother's chest.

Dean gently rubbed circles on Sam's stomach and waited patiently for his brother to catch his breath. "You okay now?" He asked not wanting to experience a repeat of yesterday morning. He had assumed that Sam was done with his now daily morning ritual when he saw him sitting back with his eyes closed and had helped him up only to get his shirt covered in his brother's barf. Sam had been incredibly embarrassed and apologized repeatedly until Dean had told him that it wasn't a big deal and definitely not the first time that had happened.

Sam nodded with a sigh. He hated this and it hadn't even been a week since his stomach had decided to rebel against him. He knew that he couldn't keep this up, the constantly being sick was wearing him down and it wasn't like he was at full strength these days anyways. His only sense of hope came from the fact that he knew morning sickness didn't usually last the entire time.

"Alright, come on, let's get you up." Dean said offering his brother a hand. Sam took it and stood with one arm wrapped around his stomach. "You want me to get the doc?" Dean asked when he saw the way Sam was holding himself.

Sam shook his head no knowing it was pretty much pointless. When he had first begun to experience the early morning wake-up calls, they had asked Dr. Barkley if there was anything they could do to help lessen the severity of the nausea but unfortunately, all he could do was recommend some herbal teas that had been known to occasionally help soothe nausea.

"You sure?" He asked.

Sam nodded. "I just want to lie down for a while."

Dean nodded knowing how tired Sam was lately. "Sure Sammy." Dean and John had thought that maybe since Sam was no longer having seizures or fevers, he might have a bit more energy but Sam could barely make it to the bathroom and back to bed without getting out of breath. "Have you had your shot yet?" He asked helping his brother walk over to the bed and climb under the covers.

"I'm not helpless ya know." Sam muttered.

Dean scoffed. "According to who?" He asked as he continued to fix the blanket.

Sam pushed Dean's hand away. "If I'm such a bother, you can leave." He said harshly. "I never asked for your help."

Dean sighed and silently counted to three to make sure he didn't say anything regrettable. "I didn't mean it Sam. I know you're not helpless." He said trying to placate his brother's newly acquired hormones.

Sam's only answer was to sniffle a little.

"I'm sorry okay, I didn't mean to make you feel… inferior or whatever. Do you forgive me?" He asked a smile on his face.

Sam shook his head no and Dean wasn't so sure his brother was totally serious about still being offended.

"You don't? What do I have to do to make it up to you?" He asked.

Sam looked thoughtful for a moment. "Make me pancakes and maybe I won't cry right now." He had started to get emotional over the smallest things and Dean was actually kind of glad to hear Sam joke about his emotional state. He hoped it meant his brother wasn't going to be a total basket case over the months to come.

"What kind, normal or chocolate chip?" Dean asked.

Sam shook his head. "Neither." He answered.

"Okay… then what?" Dean asked cautiously. He knew it was common for pregnant people to get strange eating habits and he wasn't so sure he wanted to see what concoctions Sam would come up with.

"Carrot and zucchini… with avocado and whip cream on top." Sam smiled, his stomach letting out a small grumble and he hoped he'd be able to actually keep it down.

"You want to ruin the only thing I am capable of making that doesn't require a microwave by putting rabbit shit on it?" Dean asked with one eyebrow raised.

Sam pouted. "I think it sounds good." He said in a huffy tone of voice.

"Whatever man, that sounds gross… you sure you're not just mental." He said too late to realize the tears forming in his brother's eyes.

"It's okay if you don't want to make it." Sam whispered trying to wipe away a tear without Dean noticing. "I guess I'll just have toast then."

"Shit Sammy, I'm sorry" _Strike two_ Dean thought. "I'll make you your rabbit food pancakes okay? Just don't cry… please?" Dean practically begged sitting down on his brother's bed and trying to look into his brother's eyes.

Sam sniffed and looked away from Dean. "You don't have to do it Dean. It's not a big deal."

"I don't mind okay. I think I might have to go to the store to get the ingredients but…" He drifted off deciding to pick at a thread on the bed cover.

"I'm sorry I'm so emotional, I don't mean to be… it's just these stupid hormones. I can't imagine I'm too much fun to be around right now." He said quietly.

Dean shrugged and smirked.

"What?" Sam asked curiously.

"Just… I guess you've always been a bit of an emo bitch hunh, now you actually have an excuse for it." He replied.

Sam glared at Dean for a moment before he caught on to his brother. "Yeah at least I'm not a class A jerk."

Dean smiled; glad to see a little bit of the old Sam returning. "So, shall I go run to the store and get the makings for your special order breakfast?" He asked.

Sam nodded. "If you were a good big brother, you wouldn't even have to ask."

Dean scoffed. "You are damn lucky to have me around." He said jokingly and playfully hit Sam's leg underneath the heavy blanket. "I'll give you your shot when I come back, 'kay?" He asked. Even though both John and Dr. Barkley knew how to administer the shots, Dean was the only one Sam allowed to do it.

Sam nodded. _Yes, yes, I am_ he thought as Dean left the room. He knew his brother would much rather be out hunting or scoring himself some girls and that it was a sacrifice for Dean to stay here with him. He knew he shouldn't be surprised though. Dean had spent his entire life sacrificing things for Sam like the couple of times they'd run out of food while John was away on a hunt and Dean hadn't eaten yet but still made sure Sam had enough on his plate. Or the time when Dean had broken into someone's house and stolen Christmas presents just so Sam might have something. He'd appreciated the thought behind his brother's actions even if the presents did turn out to be Barbies and other girly things. Tears formed in Sam's eyes as he thought of what Dean had done for him over the years and he guessed taking care of his pregnant brother wasn't all that surprising. He was surprised though that their dad had stuck around this long. He'd been sick in the past and John had left to go on a hunt leaving Dean behind to take care of him and he wasn't too sure how long John would stick around now. He doubted his dad would be there all nine months and whatever came after.

Sam's thoughts were cut off when he felt his stomach begin to churn again. He clamped his mouth shut and breathed through his nose hoping that the feeling would pass. When it didn't, he threw back the covers and headed for the bathroom as fast as his shaky legs would carry him.

~DW/SW~

Dean quickly realized that the closest they came to having vegetables of any sort but especially the ones that Sam had requested, came in the form of lays potato chips which was the reason he was now standing in the produce isle of the local food mart stocking up on carrots and zucchini. He wasn't sure how much a pregnant person ate but he wanted to make sure they had enough for any momentary cravings Sam got. He'd spare all the hormonal tantrums he could.

Dean had loaded the groceries into the trunk and glanced at his watch. He'd been gone twenty minutes… hopefully not long enough to set a Sammy time-bomb off and climbed into the driver's seat of the Impala. He was on his way home when he saw the old bookstore he'd found his brother in more than once. _Who knows how long he's gonna be laid up… might do him some good plus the geeks birthday is coming up_ Dean thought to himself as he pulled into an empty parking space and shut the engine off.

He had been looking through the store's selection trying to find something his brother might like when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Ah… hi," He said when he turned around and saw a somewhat nerdy looking guy who looked to be Sam's age standing behind him.

"You're Dean, Sam's brother right?" The guy asked.

Dean nodded, that was a title he praised himself on… Sam's brother. "Yeah," He smiled.

The kid shifted the books in his hand and stuck his hand out to shake Dean's. "I'm Calvin, a friend of Sam's from school. I haven't seen him 'round lately, how's he doing?"

"He's good." Dean answered. There was no way he was telling this guy how Sam was really doing and he doubted the kid would even believe him. "Sorry he hasn't been at school lately. Kid caught a cold or something, knocked him out."

Calvin nodded. "Tell him I say 'hi'?" He asked.

Dean nodded. "Sure." He answered and the teen began to walk away. "Hey, ah, Calvin?"

The red head turned around and looked at Dean questioningly.

"You wouldn't happen to know of any books the geek might like?" Dean asked unimpressed with his big brother skills that he didn't even know what Sam would want for his birthday.

Calvin walked back over to Dean. "Follow me." He ordered.

Dean smiled gratefully and grabbed the book he'd already picked up and followed the kid to another section of the store. "Science Fiction?" Dean asked. _Doesn't he get enough of that in his real life?_

"And fantasy. I know he likes Lord of the Rings…" Calvin offered.

Dean nodded and looked through the titles. "There's three?" He asked.

Calvin nodded.

"And you're sure he wants these?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I loaned him the first one and he really liked it so…" The kid answered.

"Thanks, I guess." Dean said grabbing the box set. He groaned when he saw it was thirty bucks. _Oh well, the kid's worth it…_ Dean knew that his family didn't really celebrate birthdays though he'd always tried to have something for Sam but with what Sam had ahead of him; Dean wanted this one to actually mean something. "Cool, thanks for your help Calvin."

"No problem." He replied. "Guess I'll see you around." He said before walking back to the comic-book section.

Dean nodded even though he knew they would most likely be heading to Pastor Jim's soon. He set his purchases down on the counter and received a strange look from the cashier. Dean ignored the guy, so what if he was buying the Lord of the Rings trilogy and pregnancy books.

"That'll be $51.20" The clerk said.

Dean pulled out his wallet and was suddenly unsure which he should pay with, his fake credit card or the cash he'd won hustling. Covering his hesitation by acting as if he was checking to see how much cash he had, Dean handed over the credit card and smiled confidently.

The guy put Dean's books into a plastic bag and handed it over.

"Thanks." Dean smiled feeling weird that he had actual books in the bag and not just porn magazines. _The things I do for you Sammy_ Dean thought as he placed the bag next to the groceries and finally headed home.

~DW/SW~

Dean pulled up outside their house and made sure Sam's presents were hidden before carrying his groceries inside. "Where'd you go? I thought we'd be on the road by now." John asked as he sat at the kitchen table with Bobby, Caleb, and surprisingly enough, Dr. Barkley. Even though the man now lived with them and would continue to throughout Sam's pregnancy, except for when he was working with Sam, he mostly kept out of the way. Dean thought that the pencil-pusher might be scared of them and with good reason. If this went any further south and his brother was put in more unnecessary danger, Dean couldn't guarantee the guy would live to deliver the twins.

"Sorry, I had to go run some errands." Dean replied taking the pancake batter and vegetables out of the bags and placing them on the counter.

"I could definitely go for some of your pancakes but seriously why the hell is there healthy stuff on the counter? You sure you're Dean?" Caleb asked dramatically.

"It's for Sam, he requested them with his breakfast so I went out and got them." Dean answered taking Sam's medication out of the refrigerator. "Nobody touch his food, I don't want to see what happens if we test him." He ordered though he shouldn't have worried. With the exception of Sam and Dr. Barkley, everyone else's meals consisted of deep fried fat and lots of sugar.

After Sam was given his shot and had greedily eaten the pancakes Dean made for him, they started to pack up the cars for the trip to Jim's place. John and Dr. Barkley were going in his truck. Bobby was in his pick-up and Dean, Caleb, and Sam were all in the Impala. "Do you need anything?" Dean asked as he climbed into the driver's seat and watched his dad and Bobby start up their cars.

Sam shook his head. "No, I'm good for now."

Dean nodded and glanced back at Caleb in the passenger's seat. He watched as Bobby pulled out first and then he fell into line behind him with their dad bringing up the rear. They didn't think anyone or anything would try to attack them on the two day drive but it was better safe than sorry. Dean had his loaded .45 underneath the seat and Caleb had one as well as a gun loaded with silver bullets dipped in holy water.

"Hey Sam," Dean said after they'd been driving for a while.

Sam stretched and turned to face his brother. "Yeah?"

"If you need to throw up or something, just ah, let me know because there's no way I'm letting you get your insides on my baby okay." Dean said turning on the radio.

Sam nodded and rolled his eyes. "Don't worry Dean, I won't damage your car."

Caleb smiled. "Good because I don't want to have to be the one to explain to John why he now has only one son." He said lightening the mood a little.

Dean shot his friend a small, grateful smile. "So your birthday's coming up, anything you want?" Dean asked changing the subject.

"How about not being pregnant?" Sam answered gloomily.

"How about something I can do?" Dean replied though everyone in the car knew that if there was a way Dean could make it so his brother didn't suffer, it would have already been done.

Sam shrugged. "I don't know Dean… I don't think there's anything I really want."

Dean smiled secretively causing Caleb to wonder what was up. Dean hoped that what he had planned would help lift his brother's spirits.

~DW/SW~

They had just reached the Minnesota state line when Sam ordered Dean to pull over for what seemed like the hundredth time. Dean flashed his lights to let Bobby and his dad know that they were stopping. "Hold on Sammy, hold on." Dean ordered glad that this stretch of highway was pretty much deserted as it made stopping quickly easy.

As soon as the car came to a stop, Sam flung his door open and leaned outside heaving up what he was sure were the walls of his intestines. "It's okay Sam, its okay." He reassured placing a steady hand on Sam's back while motioning for Caleb to hand him a water bottle out of the backseat.

Sam groaned and wiped his hand across his mouth before hastily swigging down half of the bottle's contents.

"Careful." Dean warned not wanting Sam to also be sick from drinking too quickly.

Sam shot his brother a glare. "You wanna try this?" He asked.

"Just don't want you to get sick is all." Dean replied.

"I'm already sick if you didn't notice." Sam answered. "Look, I'm done for the moment so can we please just get back on the road." He was pretty sure that they'd have to stop again in the next twenty minutes to repeat the process.

"Fine." Dean answered shortly. He was trying to be patient, he knew this wasn't easy on Sam but his brother's mood changes were really starting to wear on him.

Half an hour later, all three cars pulled into Jim's driveway and they were greeted by Jim and his dog, Bummer. Simultaneously, John, Caleb, and Bobby all jumped out of their vehicles and started grabbing bags out of the trunks. Dean helped Sam out of the front seat and up the stairs. He was surprised that with his latest outburst, he didn't get his head bitten off. Dr. Barkley, who was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the situation followed silently behind.

~DW/SW~

"You've been sleeping all day, you wanna take a shower first?" Dean asked as he and Sam sat alone in their bedroom.

Sam shook his head hating himself for how weak he felt at the moment.

"Oh, okay, well then I guess 'night Sammy." Dean said beginning to stand up.

Sam shook his head again. "No, Dean, a shower sounds good… I just don't think I have the energy for it." He answered despairingly.

Dean nodded and thought for a moment. "Wanna take a bath then?"

"A bath?" Sam repeated sounding a little taken back.

"Yeah, I'll go get it going okay." He said thinking this was perfect.

Sam nodded and put his head back. He couldn't believe how dependent he had become in just a few short weeks and thought that the old him would have fought tooth and nail against having this much assistance. How was he ever going to be useful on a hunt if he couldn't even hold himself up long enough to take a shower?

~DW/SW~

"He's hungry… again? Jesus Christ, pregnant people eat a shit load." Caleb stated when he saw Dean pull out the frying pan and a couple of mixing bowls.

Dean looked at his friend and then shook his head, there was no way he was the only one who remembered what today was, right? "I wanna make him something special… he deserves it, especially today."

"What's today…?" Caleb drifted off as he glanced at the calendar and realized today was May 2nd. "Crap! Need any help?" He asked.

"Ah…" Dean thought about it for a moment. "Could you wrap his gifts? They're in a bag in the trunk of my car. Hey, while you're out there maybe you could have my dad go down to the bakery and get a cake or something?" He suggested.

Caleb looked at Dean like he was nuts. "You want me to order John around? Are you insane?"

"Just remind him that today's Sam's birthday and we need a cake. Tell him to get chocolate, its Sammy's favorite." Dean replied.

"If I come back here with my balls missing, I blame you." Caleb said before heading outside.

Dean smiled as he continued to stir the pancake batter. Hopefully Sam's two favorite foods and a of couple books would place a smile on his face. After the pancakes were done, Dean set them on a warming plate in the microwave and watched as his dad, Jim, Bobby, and Caleb came in the front door arms loaded with everything he'd ordered. "Thanks guys. Set it up while I go get him, 'kay." He said taking the stairs two at a time.

Jim laughed and looked at John. "I'd say you're teaching him the Marine ways a bit too well there John."

"Nah, he just picks up on stuff easy." John said making room in the fridge for the cake.

~DW/SW~

Dean walked into the bathroom and stopped in the doorway watching his brother doze lightly in the probably now less than warm water. He hadn't noticed it before but Sam had definitely developed a little pouch around his midsection. _Fuck, I wish it was from him just being lazy_ Dean thought. It was hard for him to actually believe that there were two living things growing inside his brother. Not wanting to think about it right then, he shook himself and walked over to the tub. He kneeled down and placed a gentle hand on Sam's arm. "You ready to get out?" He asked after Sam had opened his eyes.

Sam nodded but avoided looking Dean in the face.

Dean saw his brother's shyness and not wanting anything to ruin Sam's surprise, he quickly reached over and grabbed the towel that was hanging on the rack. "You need any help up?" He asked unfolding the towel.

Sam nodded again and put one hand on the side of tub while holding his other out for Dean to grab on to.

"On the count of three okay?" Dean asked. "One… two… three…" He counted heaving his brother up and quickly wrapping the towel around him.

"I um… I think I can handle it from here." Sam said trying to regain a little dignity as he sat on his bed in nothing but a towel.

"Okay," Dean smiled reassuringly. "Come down when you're done, I've got something for you."

Sam nodded though he wasn't sure what Dean had planned. "Could you wait for me… outside? I don't really want to go down alone."

"Course." He replied and then headed out to wait in the hall.

Caleb appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

"He's just getting dressed." Dean answered.

Fifteen minutes later, the door opened and Sam walked out with his head down. Dean knew his brother was feeling insecure at the moment and was also unsteady on his feet so he threw his arm around Sam in a brotherly gesture and led him downstairs where Sam's mouth fell open in shock.

* * *

Hey! So, hopefully that was enjoyable. Please let me know what you thought and anything you'd like to see. I love hearing your guys' opinions and ideas! Like I said, I probably won't have too much time to write but I'll try hard to not make you guys wait too long. Thanks again! :)


	5. Chapter 5

Hi guys! Here's the next chapter, I'm sorry it's so short (about eight pages), the next one will be longer, promise! I have three finals left and then I'm done with my first semester of college so I will be writing quite a bit (I hope) after this Friday. Thank you for reading and I hope you'll take a minute to let me know what you thought. I love hearing your opinions and suggestions!

Thanks again, enjoy! :)

* * *

Dean smiled at the surprised look on his brother's face. "Happy Birthday Sammy" He said leading Sam to the table and pushing him down into a chair.

Sam opened and closed his mouth a couple of times as he stared around in shock. Sitting in front of him was a fresh plate of the vegetable pancakes he'd requested a few days ago and on a table by the wall was a small stack of wrapped birthday gifts with a sign that read 'Happy Sweet 16 Sam' on the wall above. "You remembered," He said, his bottom lip trembling.

Dean laughed a little and gave Sam a hug in a very non-Dean display of affection. "C'mon, no more tears okay. It's your birthday."

"I… I can't help it." _Damn my stupid hormones!_ "I didn't think you'd remember." Sam answered.

Dean looked at his brother with a raised eyebrow. "Name one time I forgot your birthday." He ordered.

Sam was quiet as he wiped away the few lingering tears and looked down at the table, suddenly feeling very shy. He should have known that Dean would do something, for as far back as he could remember; his big brother had always had something planned. Sometimes it was only a small package of Ho-Ho's from the local gas station with a candle stuck in one but it had been something.

Dean saw the shy expression on his brother's face and it occurred to him that he hadn't seen it since Sam was maybe in early elementary school wondering if the new kids were going to like him or not. He decided it would probably be best if he ignored the fact that it decided to come back now and carried on with the conversation. "Thought so," He smiled smugly. "Now let's eat, then you can open your presents."

"Please tell me I don't have to eat this crap?" Caleb begged as he took a seat across from Dean.

Sam looked up from his pancakes. "Who said you were allowed to eat it?" He asked possessively.

Caleb laughed. "And I thought Dean was the territorial one." He said earning a kick in the shins from the aforementioned big brother. "Dude…!"

"Leave him alone." Dean replied making Sam stick his tongue out at Caleb.

Caleb just glared and shook his head in response.

"Are you going to tell me what you got me?" Sam asked and Dean was glad he'd decided to throw Sam a small party, to help take his mind off everything else that was going on.

"Now why would I do a thing like that? You know I love torturing you and making you wait." He smirked.

Sam pouted and put the 'puppy-dog' eyes to work. "Please, it's my birthday." He whined.

"And as soon as you finish, you can open them." Dean replied sounding very much like a parent.

Sam turned to his dad. "Help me out here please." He pleaded.

John smiled and shook his head no. "You know the rules Sam."

Sam turned back to his plate and sulked muttering something about evil dads and bad big brothers.

"Want me to tell you what he got you?" Caleb whispered scooting closer to Sam.

"Caleb!" Dean yelled before kicking his friend in the shins again.

"God Damnit Dean!" Caleb shrieked bending down to rub his sore knee.

Jim coughed while Dean and Sam laughed at the very girly shrill that had erupted from the young man.

"Sorry," He muttered while flipping Dean off under the table.

Wanting to find out what his big brother had gotten him, Sam scarped down the rest of his birthday pancakes quicker than anyone had ever seen him eat before. "Can I open them now?" He asked with an eager look on his face.

Dean smiled. "I don't know… are you sure you don't want your cake first?" He asked teasingly.

Sam seemed to consider this for a short moment. "No, I want presents!" He said reminding almost everyone present of a stubborn little monster who would stomp his foot until his point had been "proven". He looked around and saw his family and friends, as well as the doctor staring at him. "I have to make sure he didn't get me crap." Sam said defending himself.

Wanting to keep Sam in a good mood, everyone decided to let it go. Shaking his head, Dean grabbed the small pile of presents and placed them in front of Sam. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and open them."

Sam nodded and grabbed the top one, his eyes widening when he saw what was hidden underneath the wrapping paper. "Where… what… how?" He didn't seem able to form a coherent sentence.

"When I was out earlier, I saw the bookstore and stopped by. One of your friends…" Sam cut him off.

"You didn't tell him anything did you… 'bout me?" He asked, panic written across his face.

"Trust me Sam, I didn't say anything about you being ya know…" He drifted off. "Scouts honor 'kay?"

Sam seemed to settle down a bit. "How did you know I wanted this?" He asked looking up at Dean. He hadn't mentioned his new favorite reading material and was surprised Dean knew what it was.

"Lucky guess." He smiled, Sam didn't need to know that his big brother didn't know him as well as he thought he did. "So you like 'em?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, thanks a lot Dean." He said standing up and giving his brother a hug.

"You're welcome, you got one more dude." He said attempting to make the hug as short as possible.

Sam returned to his seat and began to carefully take the wrapping paper off the box shaped object. Hidden underneath was a polished brown leather case, it felt heavy. Sam opened it and instantly knew it was from his dad. Cushioned inside the leather case was a silver hunting knife. The handle was engraved with _Sam F. Winchester – May 2__nd_. Sam thought it was beautiful and felt a bit disappointed that he wouldn't be able to use it anytime soon. He got up from the table and wiped the tears from his eyes as he walked over to his dad, wrapping his arms around his dad's neck.

It took John a minute to come out of his shock and return the hug. It had been a while since he'd gotten a hug from his youngest. "Happy Birthday son." He smiled patting Sam on the back.

"Thanks dad, I… the knife is really nice. You didn't have to get it for me since I know I'll be out of action for a while." Sam sniffed.

"Nonsense, I got one for Dean when he turned sixteen, now it's your turn." John replied.

Sam nodded even though he still felt like he was letting his dad down a bit. It would be a while before he'd actually be able to use the knife. When this was over and he no longer had these… things inside him, he would make it up to his family. Of that, he was certain.

~DW/SW~

"Are you crazy?!" Dean screamed at his father. "An exorcism! You want to perform a freaking exorcism on Sam?"

John turned to face his oldest. "We have to Dean. We don't know what Sam has inside him, after all it was a demon that started this whole mess to begin with. If we perform the exorcism, we'll know for sure." He argued.

"Dad, Sam's not possessed so what do you think is going to happen? Some black smoke is gonna fly out of his ass?" Dean shouted back. "It won't work and besides, he's… he's too weak to go through one right now."

"We're doing it Dean." John said making his final decision.

"Like hell we are." Dean replied just as stubborn.

"Would you two idjits shut the hell up?" Bobby asked as he came and stood in between the two fuming Winchesters. "Dean's right John, exorcism's are crap already… in Sam's condition, it could wear him out even more. Let's at least wait until he's stronger."

John looked from his friend to his son and then the two remaining people occupying the living room. "What do you think Doc? Could Sam handle it?" John asked.

Dr. Barkley looked up from his seat looking like a deer caught in the headlights. "I… I… I don't know." Both of the older Winchester men scared him and he didn't feel like making enemies with either one.

John growled, annoyed. "Sam!" He called from the bottom of the stairs.

Sam appeared almost instantly at the top of the stairs and everyone realized he'd been listening to the entire argument. "I'll do it." He said as he walked down the stairs and coming to stand in front of his dad. "I… I can manage."

Dean growled. "No, we're not doing this." He glared at everyone daring them to tell him different. "I'm not letting you." Dean said grabbing his brother's arm and forcing him back behind the group.

Sam looked at Dean with a pleading look in his eyes and tugged his arm free from Dean's grip.

"It's settled then, we're doing it." John threw his hands up in the air with a smug look on his face.

"I can Dean, I promise." Sam said wanting to appear strong and ready for his family.

"If it starts to get to be too much, we stop." Dean said looking at his dad for confirmation.

John nodded. "If it seems that Sam is struggling, we stop." He obliged.

Dean nodded, realizing that was as a good an agreement he was going to get. "And afterwards, the doc gives Sam a once over."

"Fine," John muttered through clenched teeth. His nervousness at what could possibly happen causing him to snap at his sons easily.

~DW/SW~

John grabbed his journal and made sure they had the right exorcism while Dean and Caleb got the living room set up with a Devil's Trap painted on the floor. "I hope you realize you're fixing that." Jim said when he walked into the living room with Sam and saw the Devil's Trap.

"Calm down old man." Caleb replied while Dean walked over to his brother.

"You sure you're feeling okay?" Dean asked as Sam took a seat in the spare kitchen chair.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I trust you so…" He replied.

Dean smiled a little. "I'm not going to let anything happen."

"I know." Sam replied confidently.

A few minutes later, John entered the room with Bobby and began to recite the exorcism. Dr. Barkley stood over by the kitchen watching and wondering if this was what it was like when John exorcized him. Everyone waited with bated breath while John chanted in Latin, wondering what kind of affect this would have on Sam and what, if any helpful information, they would learn.

Sam sat with his eyes closed listening to his dad chant the words he knew by heart hoping this would help them find a way to get rid of the demons inside him. He had decided that the twins were demons, they had to be. It was easier that way, easier to hate them and to blame them for ruining his life rather than if they were two little helpless babies who really had no fault in their own existences.

"I told you it wouldn't do anything." Dean muttered when they were halfway through it and nothing had happened yet.

"Wait," Bobby muttered back still not convinced that the things inside Sam were totally human. It didn't make sense for them to be anything but demons. He knew Sam didn't have an evil bone in his body but as for the parasites he was carrying, they were spawned from a demon who had injected Sam with his own form of invitro-fertilization and the twins were the result of it being successful. They had to be evil.

Sam heard his dad close the book and he realized the exorcism was done and if past exorcisms were anything to go by, he would say it didn't work. There was no black smoke coming out of him from anywhere and he felt just as he did before they had performed the ritual. "It didn't work, did it?" He asked staring at the floor and avoiding all eye contact.

Dean walked over to where Sam was sitting and untied his brother from the chair. "C'mon, I want the doc to check you out." Dean ignored his brother's question as he and Sam made their way towards the stairs. In all reality, he didn't know if it had worked or not. Maybe the twins were protected inside Sam's… womb… and they had to wait until they were born to find out or maybe they weren't evil at all. Dean had no clue what the answer was.

"Yeah, maybe, he'll tell me that the things died." Sam replied angrily.

"I think that's your cue." John said in a frustrated tone of voice when he noticed the doctor still standing with them.

The man nodded and hurried up the stairs. He didn't like being surrounded by the hunters as they made him feel wary and nervous.

"So, what do we do now?" Caleb asked as he, John, Bobby, and Jim all stood in a circle in the living room.

"We hunt." Bobby answered a serious look on his face and they all knew the older hunter meant business.

~DW/SW~

Dr. Barkley knocked on the closed door and waited until Dean called 'come in' before pushing the door open and stepping inside. Sam was lying on his bed staring up at the ceiling with Dean sitting on his own bed seeming to have found an immense amount of interest picking at his fingernails.

"Dean, I feel fine okay. Do I really have to go through yet another fucking exam?" Sam asked growing more irritated when he saw Dr. Barkley standing in the doorway.

"Please Sam, for me okay. I just want to make sure that the exorcism didn't do anything to you." Dean reasoned while waving the nervous man in.

Sam huffed and glared at the doctor before climbing out of bed and snatching the gown out of the doc's hands. Once he was changed, he made his way back to his bed and lied down on it, now familiar with the routine. Dr. Barkley grabbed his stethoscope out of his bag and placed it on Sam's chest.

"Ow," Sam mumbled when the doctor pushed down a little on his chest.

"What hurts?" Dean asked immediately up and by and his brother's side.

Sam blushed a deep red and turned his head away. "It was cold… I just wasn't expecting it to be." He lied, knowing that was bullshit and that the chances of Dean buying that were slim to nil.

Dr. Barkley saw the embarrassment cross his young patients face and it dawned on him that Sam would be at the stage when his chest would begin to be tender. "Sam, does your chest hurt at all?" He asked.

Sam's eyes got wide and he blushed an even deeper shade before firmly shaking his head no. "I told you the stethoscope was cold." He said through clenched teeth.

"Sammy, tell the truth. Was it really just cold or does your… does your chest hurt?" Dean asked walking over to the other side of the bed.

Sam closed his eyes and reopened them a moment later, tears filling them.

"If you were in pain, why didn't you say something?" Dean asked.

"I… I didn't want you to make fun of me." Sam answered before scrubbing his tears away.

"Hey, it's not a big deal." Dean soothed. "I bet this happens all the time, right doc?"

"Yeah to women Dean, I'm a guy… my chest shouldn't be hurting." Sam argued. "Oh god, am I gonna get boobs? Doc, please tell me I'm not gonna get boobs!" Sam was on the verge of freaking out.

Dean looked at Dr. Barkley and while Sam was distracted, he mouthed "He isn't, right?"

"Ah, it's actually quite normal for pregnant woman to have swollen nipples and breasts. It means their producing milk, or at least starting to." He explained.

"Producing milk, as in breastfeeding producing milk?!" This was going downhill fast. "I don't want to produce milk or breastfeed these fucking things!" He whined.

"Sammy, calm down okay." Dean tried to soothe his brother.

Sam turned and glared at Dean. "I just found out that I have the potential to breast feed so I think I have the god-damn right to freak out right now!"

Dean sighed and ran a hand through his hair before turning back to the doctor and tuning out his ranting brother. "Is there anything we can do?" He asked.

"Without a way to express the milk, he'll be very sore and uncomfortable. To help with that, you could try to massage the nipples. It doesn't always work but it can help." Dr. Barkley answered.

"Dean is NOT massaging my nipples!" Sam yelled upon hearing the doctor's solution. _Dean giving me twice daily shots in the ass is bad enough._

_Trust me little brother, I like tits but I'm pretty certain I could die happy if I never touched yours_ Dean thought. "Could he do it himself?" Dean asked hopeful. He really didn't feel like being Sam's massage therapist and knew no one else in the house wanted to be either.

"In the beginning, while his breasts are small, yes but when they get bigger…" Sam cut the doctor off.

"They're going to get bigger?! Like how big, are people gonna be able to tell? I don't wanna have man-boobs!" Sam began to sob. "I'm never leaving this house again!" He resigned.

"Sammy," Dean said pulling his brother close and gently running a hand down his brother's back.

"Considering you're… flat-chested now, I really don't think you have much to worry about Sam." Dr. Barkley stated.

"Continue what you were saying," Dean instructed realizing no matter how they phrased it, Sam was still going to freak out.

"You guys might want to buy a breast pump especially if none of you are willing to massage the area yourselves. Do you think you could wait until we got one Sam or are they too uncomfortable now?" Dr. Barkley asked.

"It hurts." Sam muttered against his brother's shirt.

"Do you want me to do it now?" He asked unsure how the hormonal teenager would react to that proposition.

Sam's face lost all its coloring. "You mean you would… like…?" He asked.

"I'll only do if you want me to…" Sam cut him off again.

"I can live with it." He said embarrassment crossing over his entire face.

Dean pulled Sam back against him. "Let us know if you change your mind." He said, trying to be supportive when the reality was that this whole situation was really starting to gross him out.

Both Dean and Dr. Barkley understood that the whole conversation about breast milk and breast feeding had freaked Sam out and hurried along with the rest of the appointment.

"I'm not going to miscarry anytime soon?" Sam asked hopefully towards the end of the appointment.

Dr. Barkley shook his head. "So far the twins look to be in good health and you seem to be doing okay but if you ever feel just the slightest bit off, you need to let someone know immediately. But so to answer your question Sam, there's always the chance that you might at least until you reach the third month but no, they seem to be okay for right now."

"How far along is he anyways?" Dean asked as Sam got resettled under the covers. His crying fit and hormones having worn him out and made him sleepy.

"Let's see, you were um… impregnated," Dr. Barkley flinched at the word knowing he was the one to blame. "The first week of April and it's now May 7th so just over one month."

Dean nodded. _One down, eight to go_ he thought to himself.

~DW/SW~

"You guys leaving?" Dean asked. He'd just walked downstairs to find Bobby and Caleb loading up the pick-up truck.

Caleb nodded. "We're gonna take off and see if we can't find that bastard."

"Good luck." He said giving Caleb the traditional one-armed hug that all guys seemed to give. "When you do find him, give him a good ass-kicking for me, will ya?" He asked.

"Will do, tell the squirt I said bye." Caleb said as he climbed into the cab of the truck.

Dean nodded. "Make sure you come back, I don't want him thinking you bailed on him because he's turning into a woman." He said thinking that now it was more than a matter of emotions.

Caleb shook his head at Dean's choice of words. "Better not let Sam hear you talking like that, I want him to be in a good mood when I come back." Caleb said silently promising Dean he'd be back.

* * *

Hey! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you thought. I'm going to work on updating my other story, Into the Real World, and then I'll start on ch. 6 of this one. Thanks again! :)


	6. Chapter 6

Hey! This chapter was really hard to write for some reason so I apologize for it being so late.

Thank you Drake, your idea was quite helpful! I also have to thank blueeyesbetter for the suggestion of Preggie Pops, Sam was quite appreciative of your help. And of course, a huge thank you goes out to everyone who is reading this story and to those who send me a review!

Now, I don't know how some of you are going to react to this chapter as the end is a bit dark but I promise if you hang in there with me, it'll be all good, I swear! Thanks again for reading! I hope you enjoy the Sammy-suffering in it and please feel free to let me know what you thought of the chapter. Suggestions and constructive critisisim is always welcome. :)

* * *

Sam woke up and saw on the alarm clock that it was a bit past three in the afternoon. _I hate being so tired_ he thought as he climbed out of the bed. It seemed like all he did nowadays was sleep and he was tired of sleeping. After doing his business in the bathroom, he found himself staring into the floor length mirror. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt and took a deep breath. _Please don't let there be a huge change_ he prayed as he hesitantly looked up. He placed his hand on his stomach which was slightly flabby, at least more so than it used to be but breathed a sigh of relief when it didn't look like he had a beer gut at sixteen. Looking closer, he noticed that the trail of hair from below his belly button had grown darker although it was a small change, it was still another part of his changing body and Sam was not looking forward to any more. _Why me? I guess this is what I get for wanting to be normal _he was startled out of his musings when there was a knock on the door. "Yeah," He called.

"I'm going to the store, do you wanna come?" Dean asked hoping Sam would say yes, neither he nor John liked how Sam had kept himself cooped up since his last appointment.

Sam stuttered. "What… I no… I'm kind of tired so I think I'd rather stay here Dean." _That's not a total lie_ he thought.

Dean nodded. He hadn't expected to Sam to join him. "You sure?" He asked.

"Yeah Dean, maybe another time okay." Sam said quietly.

"Sure Sam… well um, I think we've got enough pancake batter and veggies but is there anything else you want?" Dean called.

Sam thought for a minute and then opened the door. "Could you get some pineapples?" He asked.

Dean nodded. "Anything else?" He asked preparing himself for the strange combination he was sure his brother was going to give him.

"Ah… and peanut butter, bologna and do we have sandwich bread?" Sam asked.

"Yeah Sam, Jim has bread." Dean smiled. "You sure you don't want to come?" He tried one more time.

Sam looked iffy. "If I put on a sweatshirt you can't tell right?" He asked.

Dean shook his head. "You already have a sweatshirt on." Nowadays, Sam always walked around in a pair of pajama bottoms and a sweatshirt, scared someone would see his stomach. John and Dean tried hard not to laugh at how paranoid Sam was about it. First off, everyone in the house already knew the kid was pregnant and secondly, he wasn't even showing yet. Well okay, so maybe he had a little pudge but still, not nearly enough for someone to be able to see. "Come on, it'll be fun. I'll buy you whatever you want okay. Sam?" He asked when he saw his brother walk over to his bed.

"I just want to be sure." Sam said grabbing Dean's black Led Zeppelin zip-up and putting it on.

"Sam," Dean shut his mouth before he said something regrettable. He'd let Sam figure out that the two sweatshirts together made him look like he'd gained weight on his own. "I'll wait for you, go get your shoes on."

Sam nodded and grabbed his sneakers before following Dean out to the living room.

John looked up with shock registering across his face when he saw Sam dressed to go out. "He's coming with me, we'll be back in a bit." Dean said before walking out the door, Sam following him.

~DW/SW~

"Jim asked us to get milk, will you go run and get two jugs?" Dean asked as they stood in the bread aisle of the local grocery store.

Sam nodded and readjusted his shirt for what seemed like the tenth time since they'd entered the store.

"And stop fussing, you're making a bigger deal out of it than anyone." Dean whispered knowing that if he were to have mentioned that at normal speaking volume, Sam would more than likely have his head.

Sam glared at his brother and then quickly dropped his hands and walked off to get the milk. He grabbed two jugs of two percent and then walked back to the bread aisle only to find it empty. Well, empty of any big brothers named Dean. Sam let out a huff and proceeded to walk around the store, checking each aisle for his missing brother. Finally, he found him standing at the end of an aisle way at the back of the store. Looking around at what the shelves contained, he groaned. Dean was in the baby aisle. Sam marched as fast as he could to his brother. "What the hell are you doing here?" He demanded in an angry whisper.

"Looking." Dean answered absently.

"Looking? Looking for what?" Sam asked as he glanced at the two other people in the aisle.

"Well, at some point we're going to start needing to get these things. I wanted to see what they had." He replied.

"You looked, you saw, let's go." Sam said grabbing the cart and beginning to walk away.

Dean grabbed the cart and put a stop to Sam's plans to runaway. "Take a chill pill dude, no one can tell alright. Hell, if anyone did notice us standing here, they'd probably think I had a pregnant wife or something. No one's gonna suspect you Sam, you're a guy. It won't even cross their minds."

Sam looked down, hating how insecure he was right now. "Can we just go?" He asked quietly.

Dean smiled softly, glad he'd gotten Sam out of the house even if it was only for a little bit. He grabbed the handle of the cart. "Yeah kid, let's get home."

~DW/SW~

Later that day, Sam was currently sitting on the bathroom floor sucking on a 'Preggie Pop' while trying to fight the urge to barf or cry, he wasn't sure which one was worse. Dr. Barkley had promised him that the morning sickness would start to go away soon and the popsicles Dr. Barkley had recommended did help a bit but still, it couldn't come quick enough for him. Unfortunately, it seemed like he was trading one annoying symptom for another. As the morning sickness looked like it was coming to an end, his chest had only gotten much more sensitive in the past couple of days and he had reluctantly told his brother to go out and buy the dreaded breast-pump. As if that wasn't bad enough, his fevers had returned making his family mother him all the more. He groaned and pushed himself up before walking back to his bed.

"Hey kiddo, how ya feeling?" Dean asked placing his hand on Sam's forehead. Sam had had a slight fever the previous day but thankfully no seizures had presented themselves yet. He was keeping his fingers crossed that it stayed that way. "Do you need anything, can I get you something?" He asked continuing his pesky mother-hen routine.

"I want you to leave me alone." Sam muttered.

"What Sammy?" Dean asked as he got closer.

Sick of feeling sick and tired of being suffocated by his brother's intense hovering; Sam flung the covers back and stood up managing to be rather steady on his feet for the first time in a while. He turned angry eyes to Dean. "I said that I wanted you to leave me the fuck alone!" He yelled before hurrying out of the room, near tears.

Dean stood there for a moment before shouting back, "You want to be left alone then fine Sam! Don't come crying to me the next time your emo-girly side needs a release!" He said following Sam out into the hall.

Sam turned around and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Fuck you Dean!" He spat.

Dean shook his head. "Sorry Sam but it looks like you've already been done." He smirked.

Sam glared at Dean for a moment before a hurt look crossed his face and he whispered, "I hate you!" and proceeded to storm down the stairs.

"Feeling's mutual jackass!" Dean called back.

John appeared at the base of the stairs a moment later. "What the hell is going on here?" He questioned his oldest.

"Nothing, Sam's just being a little bitch." Dean replied before storming out the front door. Less than a minute later, John heard the Impala start and the sound of gravel being kicked up.

He looked up toward the ceiling and groaned. _Mary, what do I do?_ He asked.

~DW/SW~

Pastor Jim walked into the church to start setting things up for that morning's service when he heard what sounded like soft crying coming from not far away. He set his belongings down and walked towards the source of the noise. "Sam?" He asked surprised when he saw the hunched over form kneeling in-between two pews. "My boy, what are you doing out here?" He asked taking a seat beside the distraught teenager.

Sam looked up and hastily wiped his tears away. "I… I'm sorry Pastor, I'll get out of your way. I know you're busy." Sam said as he began to stand.

Jim reached forward and placed a calming hand on Sam's shoulder. "Nonsense, I always have time for my favorite Winchester." He smiled a little.

Sam gave the pastor a small smile in return.

"You want to tell me what's on your mind son?" He asked even though he had an idea of what was upsetting Sam so much.

Sam sighed. "I'm okay really Pastor Jim, I am."

Pastor Jim nodded and decided to give Sam his privacy. He figured that Sam would talk when he was ready. Jim stood and gathered his things back up. "Well, I have to get ready for today's service but you're welcome to keep me company."

Sam smiled a little. "If you're sure I won't be in your way?" He said hesitatingly.

Jim shook his head. "I don't mind at all."

Sam smiled a little brighter and took a seat in one of the front pews watching as the Pastor got ready. A bit of time passed before Sam spoke but Jim was ready none the less. "Dean and I had a fight earlier." He started. "He asked me if I was okay and I practically tore his head off…"

"I heard." Jim said with a knowing smile on his face.

Sam blushed. "I think he's mad at me."

Jim nodded. "He might be."

Sam chewed his lip. "I wouldn't blame him… he's been really nice to me and all I do is act like a brat." Sam felt tears sting his eyes. "It's just that I feel so useless 'round here." Sam admitted.

Jim gave Sam a concerned look. "Now why would you feel like that?"

Sam shrugged. "I… I just feel like all I do is eat, cry, and sleep all day…"

"Everyone needs a good cry once in a while." Jim reassured.

"Yeah but that's all I do and Dean and Dad… I know that they mean well but I feel like I'm suffocating… they treat me like I'm made out of glass now." Sam explained.

Jim nodded understandingly, he knew that all three Winchesters had the tendency to mother a bit too much. "Have you told them this?" He asked.

Sam looked at Pastor Jim like he was crazy. "I don't think it would do any good."

"You never know… just talk to them Sam, they might surprise you." Jim encouraged.

Sam nodded and stood up when he realized he hadn't had his shot yet. "I… um... thanks for letting me stay here Pastor Jim, I'll see you later but I really should get going."

Jim smiled. "Thanks for the company Sam and think about what I said alright?"

Sam nodded again and was on his way. He was about halfway to Jim's house when he heard his brother's car pull up. Sam felt bad for his over-reaction that morning but didn't want to necessarily face up to it, not yet at least, so he looked around for a place to hide. Spotting the big tree that he and Dean used to climb, he quickly hid behind the trunk and waited until he heard the front door of the house open.

~DW/SW~

Dean walked into the kitchen and saw Dr. Barkley and his dad sitting at the table. "Ah… you guys haven't seen Sammy have you?" He asked. He felt bad for the harsh things he'd said and wanted to apologize. He smiled a little when he imagined the shocked look on his brother's face when he heard 'I'm sorry' tumble from his stubborn big brother.

"Last time I saw him he was with Jim." John answered looking harshly at Dean.

"What?" Dean asked with mock-innocence.

"You know what… go easy on him Dean, we don't know what he's going through right now so just try not to upset him again." John admonished.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" He muttered before heading back outside. Dean glanced at his watch, seeing that it was almost ten and hurried his pace. He wanted to talk to Jim before the service started.

Jim looked up when he heard the doors open and saw the middle Winchester walk in. He smiled at the small group of parishioners he was talking to and then made his way over to Dean. "What can I do for ya son?" Jim asked.

"Sammy's not here is he?" Dean asked as he looked around the church.

"No, he left to go back to the house a good half hour ago." Jim answered. "Why, what's the matter?" He asked worriedly.

Dean shook his head. "I'm sure it's nothing… I must have missed him then." Dean smiled, trying not to jump to the worst case scenario. "Well, I'll ah… I'll let you go then. See you later Jim."

Jim nodded. "Bye Dean."

Dean gave the room one last cursory look before practically running out of the church. _Calm down Dean, you just missed him. He's probably up in your room sulking and being all moody waiting for you to come back_ Dean reassured himself.

Flinging open the front door, Dean charged up the stairs making his dad and Dr. Barkley look at him curiously. "Dean, what's going on?" John asked when he saw his eldest's worried face.

Dean ignored his dad and proceeded up the stairs. "Sam!" He called barging into the room without knocking. "Fuck!" He screamed when he saw the empty room. Turning around, he ran into his dad.

"Dean, what are you yelling about?" John asked impatiently.

"I can't find him!" Dean replied. "You said he was with Jim, I went to the church… he wasn't there so I thought maybe he'd walked back and I'd just missed him but as you can see," Dean said motioning to the empty space around him. "He isn't here!"

_Please don't tell me he ran away again_ John silently pleaded. At this point, he was going to be bald in a matter of months. Either that or die of a heart attack at the rate his son's were going.

"Dean, it's a large piece of property… I'm sure he just went on a walk or something…" John was interrupted when Dean darted past him and took off down the stairs.

~DW/SW~

Sam was sitting on a log with Bummer beside him letting the peaceful scenery take him somewhere else, somewhere where he didn't have to think or do anything. Where he wasn't a burden to anyone and wasn't stopping anyone's important plans but most importantly, somewhere where he wasn't pregnant.

He smiled as he looked around the small clearing. He had a lot of good memories in this place, memories of he and Dean playing hide and go seek or cops and robbers. There were also the remnants of the fort they had tried to build a while back. Sighing, Sam wished he could go back to those times but knew he couldn't.

Sam was drawn out of his thoughts when Bummer sat up and began to growl. Sam stood up as well. "Whose there?" He called.

There was no answer.

_Great, now I'm not only hormonal but I'm also paranoid_ Sam criticized himself. "It's okay Bummer, it's probably just some stupid squirrel." Sam said petting the Golden Retriever's head.

Bummer continued to growl and bared his teeth at the unseen presence, the hair on his back standing up. Seeing that the normally relaxed and friendly dog wasn't calming down, Sam began to get worried. _I'm not in the best fighting shape… maybe we should just head home_ Sam thought as he began to back away.

"Going somewhere Sammy?" A voice said stopping Sam in his tracks.

Sam froze and clenched his teeth as Bummer took up a protective stance in front of Sam. "It's you." Sam said remembering running into the blonde haired guy when he'd run away.

The man smirked and nodded.

"But… but you said you wouldn't be back for nine months." Sam stuttered.

The man shrugged. "I thought I'd come and check up on my favorite Winchester, especially when I saw how desperate you are."

"I'm not desperate." Sam countered.

"Oh yeah Sam? I've watched you ya know, you're quite the cute little thing… you put on quite the show and downstairs we love watching it." The man moved closer to Sam and grabbed him before Sam could think of a way out.

Bummer began to bark and growl viciously before the man flung him away.

"Pervert." Sam replied angrily as his cheeks flushed a deep red color. Sam could feel the man's erection rubbing against his and he hated that whoever this guy was, he was right. Lately, it seemed like he'd get an erection at least a couple times a day and he'd need to touch himself so badly. He knew it was in part due to the increase of hormones in his body but it was driving him absolutely crazy. But as bad as it was having to jack-off several times a day, it was better than going to bed with this guy and Sam continued to struggle.

"I mean, how many times a day do you jack-off Sam? Really, you've got quite the appetite but still that must get annoying… having to constantly please yourself? I'm sure I could make the experience more enjoyable… for the both of us." He offered.

Sam glared at the man and tried to tug free. "In your dreams." Sam spat back.

"Every night." The man replied before crushing his mouth against Sam's and slipping his tongue inside.

Sam struggled as the man explored his mouth and he let out an unintentional moan. Disgusted, he tried to push the man away.

"Now, now, now Sammy… don't fight it… you know I can make you feel good." He said pushing Sam to the leaf-covered ground and kneeling above him, a dangerous look on his face as his eyes flashed black. "Now if we're going to be bed partners we should properly introduce ourselves," He said as his hands wondered over Sam's body. "I'm Marcus." He smiled evilly and began removing Sam's clothes.

~DW/SW~

Dean was jogging down a path he knew by heart when he felt his cell vibrate in his pocket. Dean quickly flipped it open, thinking and hoping it was Sam. "Sam?" He asked.

"You haven't found him then?" John asked sending Dr. Barkley a worried look. They had just gotten a call from Caleb that had sent John's nerves on fire. Caleb had told him that he and Bobby had found evidence of a competition that was brewing… a competition to be the first one to find Sam and claim him.

"No, I haven't but I think I have an idea of where he might be. I'm headed there now." He answered.

John nodded. "Find him fast Dean." John ordered and then hung up, not wanting to take any more of his son's time.

Dean thought his dad's order was a little strange but hurried his pace, trusting his dad's instincts. He was almost to the small clearing when Jim's dog Bummer came running up to him. He looked to be limping a little. Bummer grabbed Dean's jacket in his mouth and began to pull, almost as if he was urging Dean on. After a little while, Bummer let go of Dean but put his head against Dean's legs pointing him to the clearing Dean had already been thinking of. He and Sam had spent a good amount of time when they were younger and he knew that his brother still liked to visit it on occasion. Dean heard what sounded like heavy breathing and cautiously peered over a bush. "Oh god," Dean felt disgusted at what he saw.

Sam was lying on the clearing floor with a man lying on top of him. It was easy to figure out what they were doing and Dean growled as he thanked God he was packing and began firing.

~DW/SW~

Pastor Jim was in the middle of his sermon when he and the rest of the congregation heard the gun-shots. _The boys!_ He thought fearfully as he closed the Bible he was holding and turned to his parishioners. "I'm sorry folks but it looks as if we're going to have to end early today." He said before heading out of the church before anyone could blink.

~DW/SW~

'Marcus' felt the bullets hit his back and stiffened. Sighing, he slipped out of Sam with a 'pop' and turned around. "Damn, that hurt and I really liked this suit too."

Dean emerged from his hiding place and glared at the demon but before he could do anything, he found himself pressed up against a tree and held there, his gun lying forgotten at his feet.

'Marcus' smirked at Dean before returning to Sam who was looking at him through glassy eyes.

"Get the fuck away from him you evil bastard!" Dean yelled, hatred and anger dripping from his voice. "I swear, I'll kill you! You lay another finger on him and I'll fucking kill you!" Dean yelled.

'Marcus' ignored Dean and carried on with his perverted acts as his hands roamed over Sam's now mostly-naked body. After a couple minutes of the prolonged torture, he kissed Sam again and then stood up. "I won." With a snap of his fingers, he disappeared and Dean was released.

~DW/SW~

By the time Jim reached his house, he could see John and Dr. Barkley rushing down the steps each carrying supplies. Knowing now was not the time to be asking questions, Jim joined them as they rushed down the path ready for whatever condition Sam and Dean would be in.

~DW/SW~

As soon as he was dropped to the ground, Dean ran towards his brother and kneeled beside him. "Sammy?" He asked cupping Sam's face in his hand as he observed the shaking that was coursing through his brother's body.

Sam looked at Dean very briefly before his eyes slipped closed as unconsciousness and shock claimed him. Needing and wanting to cover Sam up, Dean grabbed his brother's torn jeans and gently placed them over him. Realizing Sam needed help and that he couldn't carry his brother all the way back to the house, Dean pulled out his cell phone and dialed his dad's number.

"Dean?" John asked almost fearfully and a little out of breath.

"We're at the pond, bring the doc." Dean ordered.

* * *

Hey! Thanks for reading and all comments are appreciated! I hope you enjoyed the Sammy-torture! I'll try to update ASAP, especially now that I have a clearer idea of where this story is going. Thanks again! :)


	7. Chapter 7

Hi guys, I apologize if this chapter is a bit sucky, it's been a really crappy week. Two of our cats are missing and on Wednesday, about half an hour before I was supposed to go to work, I found out that both of the boys that I nanny for had been rushed to the Emergency Room and one of them ended up needing a spinal tap... not exactly good news.

Thankfully, I have you guys and Jensen (who saw him on Jimmy Kimmel last night? I love that man, also, I've seen SO many commercials for My Bloody Valentine, I seriously want it to be next Friday already, I can't wait to see him on the big screen!) to cheer me up so please review and let me what you thought of the chapter, I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for continuing to read and review, your support really does mean a lot to me! :)

* * *

Dean was kneeling beside his brother's form gently running a hand through Sam's chocolate locks and muttering meaningless reassurances when John, Dr. Barkley, and Jim all came running up to the pair. Jim felt his heart drop at the scene that greeted them and the shape the youngest Winchester was in. Sam's bloody and torn jeans were lying lightly on top of him while his shirt, jacket and boxers lied forgotten a few feet away.

A cold and dangerous look appeared on John's face and he growled when he saw that Sam had been found too late. He turned around to face the woods surrounding the group. "Yeah, go run and hide you little pussy! I'm gonna make Hell look like the fucking Hilton, that I promise you!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. This was the second time these demons had managed to get by him and hurt his baby, there wouldn't be a third.

Jim grabbed John's shoulders and shook him slightly. "John, we can get revenge later but right now Sam needs you. He needs you to be his dad, not a revenge seeking killer." Jim said bringing John's attention back to the scene around him. "We need to get Sam back to the house so Steven can take care of him."

John nodded and walked over to where his two sons were. He looked at Dean briefly before scooping Sam up in his arms, the need to get his son to safety giving him the strength to carry the teenager without much trouble. "It's okay kiddo, dad's got ya now." He comforted, more for his sake than Sam's, and headed back towards Jim's house.

Not wanting to let Sam out of his sight, Dean quickly ran after his dad with the rest of the group hurrying after him. With the house in view, Dean charged ahead of his dad and opened the front door for him. He followed as John carried Sam up the stairs and softly laid him on the bed, careful not to jostle Sam's injured body unnecessarily.

Dr. Barkley entered not a moment later and hurried to Sam's side, knowing that time was of the essence for both Sam and the twins.

Sam remained unconscious to the activity buzzing around him.

"I think it would be best if you waited outside." Dr. Barkley ordered knowing that the procedure he had to perform was pretty invasive and not anything Sam's family needed to see.

Dean turned stony-faced. "No, I'm not leaving him." He replied stubbornly.

"Dean," John said placing a hand on his eldest's arm. "Come on," He didn't want to leave either but he knew that they would only be in the way and he didn't want Sam's care compromised because of them. Besides, he'd seen some awful stuff while he was in 'Nam but even he didn't think he could stomach watching his youngest go through a rape kit and he didn't want Dean to see that either.

Dean yanked his arm away from his dad as if he'd been burned by his dad's touch and angrily stalked to the other side of Sam's bed. "No, I'm not leaving Sam alone with _him_." He said shooting a cold look at the doctor. He might be the one to blame for Sam being raped but they wouldn't be in this situation in the first place if it wasn't for that stupid doctor allowing himself to get possessed Dean thought even though he knew that logic didn't quite work but he needed something or someone to blame and the doctor seemed like a fitting target.

John had had enough of Dean's attitude, it wasn't what they needed right now and while he still didn't completely trust the doctor, he realized that the man was their best and only choice for helping Sam. "Dean Jonathon Winchester, that's enough, living room now!" He ordered feeling a little weird, he hadn't used Dean's full name in years. "Steven is a doctor and knows what he's doing, as soon as he's done, you can come back in but right now, you need to go."

Dean glared at his father before stomping out of the room muttering under his breath, "Can't believe you trust that fucking prick."

John sighed and gave his baby boy one last look before going out into the hall to wait. He wasn't surprised to find Jim and Dean in the hall waiting. He had known that neither of them was going to go far. John was surprised, however, to see his oldest leaning against the wall, his shoulders shaking. "Dean?" He asked walking over to him.

Dean looked up at his dad with red, tear-rimmed eyes. "I should have gotten there sooner dad, oh god… this is my fault. If we hadn't fought this morning then he never would have gone to see Jim and wouldn't have been out there by himself." Dean said so filled with guilt, he didn't care that he was crying openly in front of his dad and Jim. "I'm sorry."

John shook his head, taken back a bit by the emotional state Dean was in, it was a rare sight that his normally care-free and stoic son let anyone see him this upset. He reached forward and gently cupped the back of Dean's neck. "This isn't your fault Dean." He tried.

Dean looked at his dad and shrugged out of his grip. "It is though, I'm his big brother… I'm supposed to protect him and… and it was my fault he wasn't with someone and got attacked." Dean put his fist to his mouth trying to stop the sobs that wanted to break free.

Seeing his son struggling to get a grip on himself, John reached forward and in an uncharacteristic move, pulled Dean in for a hug. Dean squirmed for a few minutes trying to get out of his dad's embrace but eventually settled down enough to cry on his dad's shoulder. "Don't blame yourself Dean, you found him okay… you stopped that demon from doing anything else alright? Hell, you realized he was in trouble before anyone else did… If you want to blame someone, blame that hell spawn or blame me but please son, don't blame yourself."

Dean stepped back from his dad. "It's more my fault than any other person here." He replied quietly. His dad hadn't been the one who had yelled at his currently emotionally vulnerable little brother and made him run-off without any sort of protection.

"It's not yours either." John responded. "Dean, this is a parent's worst nightmare… you two boys, it's my job to protect you from anything and everything… having my youngest be knocked up and raped shows just how good I'm doing at it and for that I owe you two boys a lifetime of apologies."

Dean was about to respond when the door opened and Steven came out looking rather solemn.

"How is he?" John asked worriedly.

Steven shook his head, he was a parent too and this was the situation no parent ever wanted to be in. "He needs treatment. The rape was brutal and caused intense tearing in his anal cavity. In order to prevent an infection and excess bleeding, I'm going to have go in and stitch the tears up. As you guys are already aware, Sam's got a slight fever which I am going to be keeping a very close eye on over the next couple days." He relayed. "If he were to get an infection that would be the first sign."

John's jaw was clenched shut as he looked at the closed door. He didn't need to look at Dean to know he wasn't the only one in the mood for blood right now. He had never wanted to kill something as badly as he did right then, not even the monster that had taken his Mary away from him although it was a close second. "When…" He stopped and coughed into his fist, trying to calm himself down. "When are you going to do it?" He asked. "The surgery, I mean."

"The sooner, the better." Steven answered. "I think it would probably be a good idea if one of you was in there with him."

Dean looked at his dad who nodded. "Is he conscious?" Dean asked.

"Not right now, no." Steven replied sympathetically.

"What about the twins?" Jim asked after a couple minutes of silence.

Dean looked at the pastor incredulously. "Who cares about those… those freaks?" He replied.

Steven turned to face Dean with a serious look on his face. "It's actually very important that the twins are healthy. If one or both of them were to die, it could cause Sam to have a miscarriage but since he doesn't have a birthing canal there would be no way for his body to expel them. As a result, they could very well poison your brother and make him very sick and possibly kill him." He explained. "So to answer Jim's question, at the moment they seem to be doing alright but they could very easily slip into distress from the trauma of the rape so for the next week at least, I'm going to order strict bed-rest for Sam. It will help give both him and the babies time to heal." He said even though he realized Sam's healing time would be a lot longer. "Physically that is."

Everyone nodded agreeing that it would probably take a while for Sam to come to terms with what had happened.

"You said Sam was unconscious, when do you think he'll wake up?" Dean asked breaking the momentary silence.

"He's more than just unconscious Dean, I think Sam has decided that he's taken all he can and has more than likely found a safe place to hide until he feels better or at least safer." Steven answered.

"So it's up to him?" Dean asked.

"In a way yes, you… all of you can possibly help bring him out of it quicker by talking to him. It's important that he knows he's not alone right now." John nodded before switching topics.

"Do you have everything you need?" He asked getting back to the situation at hand.

"I believe so, yes." Steven replied.

John nodded. "Dean, you um… you go stay with your brother." He instructed.

"What are you gonna do?" Dean asked even though he had no objection to that order. He had no plans to let Sam out of his sight anytime soon.

"Call Caleb, see what else he knows." John answered before disappearing down the stairs.

Dean sighed and stood there for a moment, his hand hovering over the doorknob. Jim walked up and placed a caring hand on Dean's back and gave him a small smile.

Dean looked at his family friend for a moment and tried to smile back before pushing the door open and walking over to his brother's bed. With the blanket covering him, Sam looked physically okay. There were no bruises or cuts marring his brother's tan skin but Dean realized that his brother's injuries went a lot, lot deeper and were going to take way more than an icepack to heal them.

~DW/SW~

Dean glanced up when the door opened a couple minutes later and Dr. Barkley walked in. "So, ah… how do we do this?" Dean asked deciding to be civil to the man, at least for the moment.

"It's actually going to be a bit more difficult because he's unconscious but you just sit with him and talk and I'll take care of the rest." He instructed as he set the necessary tools up.

"What the hell are you doing?" Dean asked protectively when Steven pulled the sheet that was covering his brother's lower half down.

"It would be a little hard to stitch him up with the covers over him. I promise Dean, I'm a professional okay." Dr. Barkley said trying to placate the brother and gave him what he hoped came across as a friendly and non-threatening smile.

Dean nodded and nervously chewed his lip for a moment before walking over to the desk in the corner of the room and grabbing the chair. Picking it up, he walked over and placed it by the side of the bed. He glanced over and saw that the doctor had started so he leaned forward a little and gently picked Sam's hand up in his, running his thumb over the back of it. He smiled a little when he thought about the last time he'd held his brother's hand. Sam had just turned seven and insisted that he was no longer a baby and since he was a big first grader who knew how to read, that meant he didn't need to hold hands either. Dean had nodded and just laughed at his brother's reasoning back then, the kid was anything if not stubborn. Looking down at his brother, Dean hoped Sam still had that stubborn streak in him.

"Hey kiddo… the doc, Steven, he said that you went somewhere safe for a little while… till you could sort things through and um, well… Sammy… dad and I and Jim and Caleb and Bobby… and even the doc, we're all gonna be right here okay… whenever you decide that you've had enough beauty rest, we'll be here." Dean said as tears gathered in the corners of his eyes and he quickly used his free hand to wipe them away. "I know I said some really awful stuff to you earlier and I'm so sorry Sam… I didn't mean a word I said. It's just that well, I… I can't stand seeing you suffer and knowing there's nothing I can do about it but ah… that doesn't give me the right to treat you like that so please wake up Sam, please… we need you to." Dean dropped his head and began to cry. "I need to make this up to you." He whispered.

~DW/SW~

Dr. Barkley had finished stitching Sam up a while ago and now Dean was sitting alone with his brother. He didn't know what more to say, what more could he say? He sighed and wiped a hand over his face as he looked at his brother's still form whispering, "I'm sorry," again. It seemed like every time he left his brother's side, something bad happened to him. It wasn't that he thought Sam was incapable of taking care of himself, he knew how strong and smart Sam was… had seen him take down quite a few nasty creatures but this… this was different. His brother was pregnant and responsible for two other lives, whether they liked it or not, and it made Dean wonder if Sam was in this much danger already, what would it be like when Sam was all swollen and almost ready to give birth? He shuddered a bit at that last thought when it occurred to him that Dr. Barkley had said that Sam didn't have a birthing canal so then what, would a C-section be required. He didn't like the idea of someone cutting his brother open but then again, the alternative was watching his brother push these two babies out which he thought would be a rather unpleasant experience for everyone involved. _This is such a fucked up situation_ he thought not realizing that there was still the potential for more heartache and disaster.

~DW/SW~

Two days had passed since the attack and the atmosphere in the house was tense and strained as everyone tried to come to grips with what had happened knowing they'd have to go through it all over again when Sam woke up. Dean knew there was something his dad wasn't telling him, he could see it clearly written on the older man's face and the way he avoided eye contact but he wasn't sure if he wanted to be told. Because honestly what could be worse than his brother being pregnant and raped. He didn't think there was anything worse.

~DW/SW~

"You have to talk to him John." Jim said as he and John sat at the kitchen table one early morning while the rest of the house was still sleeping.

"I know… it's just, how… after what happened Jim, I didn't think it could get any worse." John replied.

"He needs to know John. We all know Dean isn't going to be leaving Sam's side anytime soon and if he's going to be Sam's main caretaker and protector, then he needs to know this." Jim argued.

John sighed tiredly and nodded. "How did this happen Jim? Did I really get that blind that I didn't even realize I'd put my boys in that kind of danger?" He asked.

"You can't be expected to predict everything John, the important thing is that you're here now and no one doubts how much you love your sons. You made a mistake but it doesn't mean you wanted this to happen." Jim comforted.

John looked away. "Mary would so kick my ass right now. Those two boys… they were her babies, she… she loved them more than anything and she'd kill me for the way I've raised them… for what I've let happen to them." He said quietly.

"You raised two fine young men John. Any parent would be proud to have Sam and Dean as their sons, they're both smart, kind, loyal, and have a good sense of humor… now you get to help Sam raise his kids." Jim replied trying to find the good in this currently rotten beyond belief situation.

John turned to look at Jim. "Jim, his twins came from a demon…" Jim cut John off.

"No, they didn't, not as far as we know. You did the exorcism John and nothing happened so as far as we know, those two babies Sam's carrying are all him." He said.

John shook his head. "But the competition… it has to mean something right?"

"What competition?" John turned around when he saw Dean standing by the kitchen doorway.

_Shit!_ He thought. He really didn't want to have this conversation. "How's Sam?" John asked ignoring Dean's question.

"Steven's looking him over right now." Dean answered walking over to the table. Seeing how gentle the man was with Sam, especially in the aftermath of the rape, Dean had started to come around and think that maybe the guy wasn't all bad. "Dad, what competition, what are you guys talking about?" He asked concerned.

John looked as if he was going to try and evade the question when he caught his friend's glare and decided to come out with the truth. "Why don't you have a seat son, there's um… there's something we need to talk about." He answered.

Dean looked cautiously between his dad and Pastor Jim before taking a seat at the table. "What is it?" He asked. "Dad, come on, you're scaring me, tell me what's going on." He said when his question went unanswered.

"You know the other day when um, when I told you to find him fast?" John started.

Dean nodded. He doubted he'd ever forget that day, no matter how hard he wanted to. "What… what about it?"

"Caleb called me just before I'd called you to let me know how their hunt was going…" This was almost as bad as when he'd had to explain to his four year old that mommy wasn't coming back and it wasn't because she didn't love him anymore.

"What did he say?" Dean asked feeling like his heart was caught in his throat. Normally his dad just cut to the chase, for him to be beating around the bush like this, Dean knew it was something bad… something very bad.

"He said… he said that he and Bobby had found out that there was some sort of competition going on… with a group of demons. They haven't quite figured out what the prize is yet but he said that it definitely has to do with Sam and the fact that he's pregnant." John explained.

"What the hell do these bastards want with him?" Dean asked obviously and unsurprisingly pissed off.

"I don't know, they haven't figured that out yet but they know it's bad, Dean… Caleb thinks more demons are going to come after Sam and the twins." He said.

"Over my dead body." Dean gritted his teeth. "If any one of those perverted little fuckers thinks that I'm just going to let them come after him and do what they want just to win some stupid prize, they've got another thing coming." And with that, Dean stormed up the stairs.

"Well that went well." John said sarcastically.

"What did you expect John?" Jim asked as they both looked up towards the stairs.

~DW/SW~

Steven looked up when the door swung open and Dean came stomping in, he wasn't surprised when Dean took up his normal post by Sam's bed side. "So, what's the verdict doc?" Dean asked trying to not let too much anger seep into his voice.

Steven peeled off his gloves and lowered the blanket back down. "He looks like he's healing okay, there's no sign of infection and both twins seem to be holding their own for the moment." He answered.

Dean nodded and was quiet as the doctor packed up his medical supplies and put them in the cupboard near the bed for easy access. He was caught off-guard when Dean began speaking again, normally the young man said as little to him as possible. "Earlier, you mentioned that Sam doesn't have a… a you know…" He drifted off not wanting to say the actual word.

"You mean a birthing canal?" Dr. Barkley asked smirking a little.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, so then how exactly are the twins going to come out?" He asked.

"I would do a c-section." Dr. Barkley replied.

Dean looked at his brother and chewed his lip. "Is it going to hurt?" He asked.

Dr. Barkley saw the concern etched on the older brother's face and pulled up a chair beside Dean. "Sam is going to experience some early contractions and even those can be quite painful so yes though it won't be as bad as if he were having a natural birth."

"Does he have to?" Dean asked. "Have the contractions, I mean?"

"I'm afraid so, we want to keep the babies inside the womb for as long as possible, if I performed it too early, they might not survive." He explained.

"And that would be a bad thing?" Dean asked glancing at the doctor.

Dr. Barkley thought for a moment about how to respond to that. He wanted to change Sam's family's opinion that what Sam had inside him was an abomination but the temperaments of Sam's family often left him feeling like he'd rather keep his mouth shut. "Dean, have you heard about the nurture vs. nature debate?" He asked after a moment feeling like this was something that he couldn't keep quiet about any longer.

Dean turned to look at him. "Isn't that used a lot with rape victims who get pregnant?" Dean asked before realizing that this could apply to his brother now.

"Yes, it is… I know you and your dad think that Sam has something evil inside him." He started.

"This was started by a demon." Dean argued. "Demon's are evil, their spawn are too."

"How can you be so sure about that? That the twins your brother is carrying are evil too, what if they're more like him… are they evil then?" He asked. "What about the kids who are products of rapes, do all of them grow up to be violent rapists?"

Dean looked at his brother and reached out to gently push Sam's bangs to the side and shook his head. There wasn't an evil bone in his brother's body, of that, he was positive. Sam was the smartest, kindest, most loyal person he knew… there was no way his brother was evil, no way.

"Dean, this is already hard on Sam… and it's going to get harder now that he was raped but don't you think it would be a little easier for him to accept if his family accepted him and what happened as well?" Dr. Barkley asked knowing he was on thin ice here. "He needs your support more now than ever, if you guys act like he's got evil inside him, chances are he'll start to believe that and it'll make moving on from this that much harder for him but if he knows that he has a chance, that his twins have a chance and may not be like their other parent, it might give him some hope that this could actually turn out alright." He concluded.

Dean looked back at his brother and after several minutes, he nodded coming to a conclusion. He couldn't turn back the hands of time and change what had happened but he could change the way his brother viewed his future and he could give him hope, of that he knew for sure. He owed him that.

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Hey! Thanks again for reading, I hope the chapter was alright. Please let me know what you thought, all comments are appreciated and remember if there's something you'd like to see happen in this story, be sure to let me know. Thanks again! :)


	8. Chapter 8

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it! Thanks a lot for reading and I hope you'll leave me a note. All suggestions and comments are appreciated.

And yeah, the boys are on in about three hours... yippie!

Thanks again and Enjoy! :)

* * *

"God Damnit!" Caleb yelled as he stood up and kicked the chair he'd been sitting in across the small motel room floor. He and Bobby had been researching and hunting for the past week, along with conducting their own versions of 'police interrogations' but hadn't got much further than when they'd called John. And Caleb did not like being stone-walled, especially now. "I fucking swear to God Bobby that when we find any of these demonic sons of bitches, I'm going to kick the holy freaking shit out of them and do it again just for the fun of it!" He screamed.

Bobby watched as the younger man exploded and he knew he had to get him to calm down somehow. The last thing they needed was someone calling the cops on them for disturbing the peace or what have you. "Caleb, calm down alright. I know you're pissed, I am too but I really don't feel like explaining your mental breakdown to the boys in blue, okay?!" Bobby yelled back.

"I can't calm down Bobby, Sam was fucking raped because of some competition between demons trying to get to the babies he's carrying! And we don't know why or what their next move is! What the hell are we gonna tell John and Dean, we don't know shit about what's going on right now!" Bobby took a deep breath and then walked over to Caleb and slapped him, hard, across the face.

Caleb stood there stunned for a minute.

"You good now?" Bobby asked with a stern look on his face.

Mutely, Caleb nodded and picked the over-turned chair up.

"Good, now let's go over what we **do **know again… there's gotta be something we're missing here." Bobby said as he also returned to the table hoping they'd find some over-looked piece of information in their stack of research.

~DW/SW~

"Hey dad," Dean said as he sat beside Sam's bed just like he had been for the past week, waiting for whenever his brother would emerge from his self-induced sleep. "Can we talk?"

"What is it?" John asked looking up from where he sat on the other side of the bed sharpening one of his hunting knives, trying to pass the time.

"I've been thinking and well ah, what are we going to do… I mean, about his school and everything else?" Dean asked concerned. He'd been thinking a lot lately and while he had a ton of questions, he didn't have many answers.

John stopped the repetitive movement of sliding the blade over the whet-stone and studied Dean for a moment before glancing at Sam's unconscious form. "I don't know if that's really an option anymore Dean. I mean, first off he hasn't even mentioned wanting to go back." Which in of itself told them how depressed Sam was, Dean was pretty sure his brother could live and die happy inside a school's library. "And I don't think it would be safe for him to go back to school, either way he'd be a target for demons or other students who wanted to give him a hard time." Even though he knew his son would never tell anyone about his predicament, he didn't think Sam would fit in too well and the risk was too great that a demon could come pay him a visit while he was at school without Dean or John knowing about it.

"So what, he's going to be a high-school drop-out then dad? You insisted on me graduating from school, Sam should too! Hell, he should be looking at colleges!" Dean shouted.

"Colleges?" John asked surprised and taken back. He wasn't too keen on that idea preferring to keep his boys close where he could keep an eye on them and make sure that they stayed out of trouble. _Yeah, because you've done such a bang-up job so far_ John thought.

"Yes dad, college! Sam's the brains in the family and he hates hunting, you know he does… why can't we just let him be Joe-normal dad?" Dean asked, deflating a bit. _Especially, after all this pathetic shit he's had to go through_ Dean thought.

"Dean… it's not that I don't want him to have a life or… or be happy but I don't think finishing school is in the cards for him. Even without the hunting, if he were to keep the…" He drifted off, unsure what he wanted to call the things inside his son. He hadn't totally come to terms with the fact that he was now a grandpa, or was going to be at least, and now with the news that his son was some sort of prize… it didn't sit well with him at all.

"The twins." Dean supplied. Ever since his talk with Steven after Sam had been attacked, he had taken to calling the babies, the twins. They were after all, the next generation of Winchesters.

John looked at his son with a raised eyebrow.

"Look dad, we don't know what they are… I mean, right now they're just two little unborn babies right, hardly dangerous at all… and why should we make it harder on Sam, he's already gonna have that head of his too full with worry. The least we can do is accept him… accept them." Dean said with a small smile of affection on his face as he glanced in Sam's direction.

John stared between his two sons, caught on what to do.

"And why can't he finish school?" Dean continued. "He's got all of us here to support him so I don't know maybe somewhere down the road he could go back or at least get his GED or something… I mean… I don't know about you," Dean said with a small hint of accusation in his voice. "But I'm not returning to hunting until he's okay."

John glared at Dean. "Do you see me loading up the truck?" He asked having taken offense to what Dean was implying. He knew he'd put his boys on the back-burner in the past and it had been a mistake to do that, one he wasn't willing to make again. "I know we're done hunting for right now Dean, I know we are but Dean, a white-picket fence? I don't want that and I don't think you do either." John said, referring to his eldest's immense hatred of anything suburban.

"Yeah, we'll see…" Dean muttered looking down at his brother. "We get his opinion on it and then decide what to do but dad, seriously, you and I both know he's too smart to not finish high school."

John nodded. "We'll see Dean, we'll see."

Dean nodded though he'd already made up his mind, he would let his brother choose and whatever that turned out to be, he'd be right there beside him.

~DW/SW~

Sam woke slowly, his limbs felt heavy and his memory was fuzzy at best. He remembered having a fight with Dean and going to see Pastor Jim but he couldn't remember what happened next. Sam groaned and rubbed a hand over his eyes.

Dean heard his brother's groan and looked up to see a very sleepy and confused Sam looking back at him. "Hey, you're awake." He smiled. _Yeah, way to go Captain Obvious_ Dean thought.

"De…" Sam croaked out.

"Hold on, I'll go get you some water alright. I'll be right back." Dean said hurrying down the stairs.

"What's going on?" John asked when he saw the rush Dean was in.

"Sam's awake." Dean answered before hurrying back up the stairs, John following him. John smiled and felt a wave of relief wash over him when he saw Sam lying, looking tired and confused, in his bed. "Here, drink this okay. It'll help." Dean said handing Sam the cup.

Sam sat up a bit more and drank half the water before placing the cup back down on his nightstand beside his bed.

"How do you feel?" John asked, a bit nervous.

"I ah… I feel like I've been asleep for ages." Sam said sounding very confused.

"Nine days to be exact." Dean replied. "Do you feel okay, does anything hurt?" He asked concerned.

_Should something hurt_ Sam asked himself. "I um, I don't know but Dean, dad, what happened… I can't remember anything." Sam said, his confusion turning to fear.

John's earlier relief turned to dread, how the hell was he supposed to tell his baby boy that he'd been raped. He hadn't ever prepared himself for this conversation before and now he wasn't sure how to go about it. He shared a worried look with Dean.

_Oh shit! How the hell do I tell him that one of those things raped him?!_ Dean panicked. "Um… what do you remember?" Dean asked he was hoping Sam didn't remember the rape.

Sam thought for a moment as he tried to recall what he did remember. "You and I had a stupid fight over you mothering me… I'm sorry Dean, it's just my hormones and shit…" Dean cut Sam off.

"It's okay Sammy, you've been forgiven. I… we know this is really hard for you so yeah, I guess I can put up with being a verbal punching bag, hunh?" Dean asked wondering if Sam would forgive him when he learned about what had happened.

Sam smiled a little. He knew Dean caught the brunt of most of his hormonal temper tantrums but he figured that was because his brother was always there and besides, if he couldn't fight with his own brother then what was the world coming to?

John looked at Dean and silently motioned for him to continue. They both knew that he had the better relationship with Sam and for right now, if John needed to hand the reigns over to Dean then fine.

"What else do you remember?" Dean asked hesitantly.

Sam thought again. "Pastor Jim found me in the church… we talked for a little while and then his mass was starting so I left… that's it."

Dean nodded worriedly. He didn't know how to break it to Sam and by the look on John's face, neither did he.

"Dean, what happened? I mean, why was I out for nine days?" Sam asked worriedly glancing between his dad and brother, not liking the looks on their faces.

Dean was quiet and took a seat on Sam's bed. "Sammy, I'm so sorry…" He started, tears building in his eyes. If he thought having to tell Sam he was pregnant was hard, this was torture.

"What are you sorry about… if it's about the fight, forget it, I'm over it." Sam replied.

Dean shook his head. _God, I wish it was that simple. _"It's not about the fight, not really but I am sorry for what I said too. I was a jerk and I'm sorry but Sam, after… Damnit Sam, this is really hard and you're not going to like it one bit but I swear Sam, whatever you need, I'm right here."

John cut in. "Everyone here is Sam, remember you're not alone… no matter how much it seems you are okay?"

"Dean, dad, what happened?" Sam asked on the verge of panicking. He really didn't like the way his brother was having such a hard time getting out whatever it was that he wanted to say.

"You were attacked. Ah, when you left the church… God, I'm sorry Sam. We think you went for a walk down to the clearing," He said knowing Sam would know which one he was talking about.

"I was attacked? But I feel okay… I mean, nothing's broken so I guess I came out on top then, hunh?" Sam said nervously, the look on his brother's face told him he wasn't done and Sam swallowed thickly.

_Fuck, what do I say?_ Dean asked, almost regretting beginning to tell his brother in the first place. Maybe it would have been better to just let Sam forget about it. "I'm sorry Sammy but the guy, he… he pinned you underneath him and… and raped you."

Sam's face lost all of its coloring. "You're lying! I would have fought back… there's no way I'd let someone do that to me! Dad taught me better!" Sam yelled refusing to believe what Dean was telling him.

John felt his heart drop a little, he had taught his son's to fight but surely Sam knew that not all fights were winnable?

Dean shook his head again. "I'm not lying Sam, I wish like hell I was but I'm not." He pushed, there was no going back now.

"How do you know?" Sam asked, hoping that there was some way to prove what his brother had said wasn't true.

"Because… because I saw it." He said quietly. Dean really wished he had the ability to gouge out his eyes after witnessing that.

"You saw it?" Sam asked completely disgusted that his brother, his idol, had seen him like that.

Dean nodded and both he and their dad watched as tears flowed down Sam's cheeks and his body began to shake. At first, Dean was unsure what he should do, if he could touch Sam or if that was against 'the rules'. "Sammy?" Dean asked feeling as broken as his brother looked.

"I'm sorry." Sam whispered.

"What?" Dean asked shocked. He was the one who should be saying that, not Sam.

"I'm sorry… if only I'd fought harder or god, I'm a fucking Winchester and I let some backwoods pervert use me…" Seeing Sam breaking down, Dean moved closer and pulled Sam against his chest hoping it would be alright. Sam tensed for a small moment but then reached up and clung to Dean. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

Dean watched as John left the room, no doubt to go get Steven.

Dean rocked his brother and ran a hand down his back. "Sammy, please don't say you're sorry… you don't have any reason to be. Dad and I, we both know you fought back against him, this isn't your fault." He reassured.

Sam nodded and was quiet. He didn't believe that and was certain he would never be allowed to go on another hunt again which he guessed was a good thing. Because how could he be trusted to watch Dean and his dad's backs if he couldn't even take care of himself? He was such a screw-up and was waiting for his family to pack their bags and leave him behind.

"Shh, Sammy, shh… it's gonna be okay, alright?" Dean cooed. "I'm right here and no one's hurting you again?"

"Did you um…?" Sam asked drifting off.

"I killed him but um Sammy, it wasn't just some backwoods pervert." Dean whispered.

"Then who was it?" Sam asked.

"Do you remember when you ran away?" Dean asked. "And ah, and you said some guy was touching you?" If only he and Caleb had gotten there sooner then he might have been able to prevent this from happening.

Sam nodded. "He said he'd come back… it was him?" Sam asked as realization dawned on him.

"We think so." Dean answered as John entered the room with Steven behind him. "Hey Sammy, its okay," Dean whispered when he felt his brother tense up.

Steven walked over to Sam and Dean and sat down on the opposite bed. "It's good to see you awake again." He smiled. "Would you mind if I took a look at you, see how you're doing?" He asked.

Knowing it wasn't really an option, Sam nodded and unfolded himself from his brother's arms.

"This'll be quick okay Sam and then you can go take a shower if you'd like." Steven instructed.

Sam nodded again, thinking a shower sounded good… real good.

~DW/SW~

Sam stood in the shower, enjoying the fact that he actually felt strong enough to take one for the first time in weeks. He realized he'd have to go back to baths at some point so he wouldn't slip and fall and hurt himself or the twins. _Wait a minute, who the hell cares if something happens to them?_ Sam thought. Sighing, he grabbed a washcloth off the windowsill and began to scrub himself. As he scrubbed lower, he thought about what it might have been like to have someone who didn't have permission to touch him there. Had he been awake for the attack or was the reason he didn't remember was that he had been knocked out before it happened? Sam didn't know and he wasn't sure he wanted to. Shivering and not from the water, Sam quickly dropped the washcloth and leaned against the tile wall. He couldn't, he didn't want to believe it to be true but he knew Dean and their dad would never lie about something like that and it scared him that he couldn't remember it. Then again, he wasn't so sure he wanted to remember. Yeah, not remembering was a lot, lot better than having those sure to be horrific images in his head.

~DW/SW~

John woke up in the middle of the night, why, he wasn't sure but he felt an urge, a need to go check on his boys. He climbed out of his bed and walked down the hall to check on his son's. _Where's Sam_ he thought when he saw that only Dean's bed was occupied. John was about to wake the house up for another 'Sammy-search' when he noticed that the downstairs light was on. He stopped walking and went into 'hunter-mode', as he got closer to the light, he realized Sam was up and was crying. Silently, he walked into the room and saw Sam sitting at the kitchen table, his knees drawn to his chest, sobbing. John wasn't sure if he should approach Sam, his son had avoided him like the plague earlier when he'd gone into see him after he and Dean had broken the news to him.

Sam looked up when he heard someone else enter the room and tried to control his sobs, not wanting to alert anyone as to how upset he was. After he'd talked to Dean and his dad earlier that afternoon, he had locked himself in the bathroom for the majority of the evening. He didn't want to hear anyone's sympathy as he tried to wrap his head around what he'd been told. Sam startled when he saw it was his dad and immediately went to wipe his tears away. "I'm sorry." He muttered brokenly.

John felt his resolve crumble when he saw Sam try to put on a brave front and walked over to him. "No Sammy, don't be sorry." He said crouching down in front of his son but not touching him, unsure how his normally affectionate child would react to physical contact right now.

Sam stared at his dad in confusion. "But I let my guard down? I let someone hurt me… god, you must be so disappointed in me but I'm sorry dad… I'm sorry, please forgive me..." Sam sobbed.

John sat there for a moment, watching as his youngest fell apart for the second time when it hit him _Sam thinks I'm disappointed in him!_ John cautiously moved closer to Sam and gently placed one of his hands over Sam's shaking, folded hands. "There's nothing to forgive son, I'm not disappointed Sammy, not at all." He started.

Sam looked up at his dad, fresh tears mingling with the dried tracks, his confusion growing. "But…" John cut him off.

"You didn't let anyone hurt you Sam… Sammy, this… this isn't your fault. None of it, okay, none. Son, can you look at me for a sec?" He asked when he could see that Sam wasn't listening to him.

Sam hesitantly looked at John, as if he expected to be reprimanded for something.

"I know you and I don't always agree but I have never once been disappointed in you. Never." He said using his free hand to reach up and wipe Sam's tears away. "You're a good kid Sam and… and I'm proud you're my son."

Sam wanted to believe that was true but he wasn't sure he could. Dean, he could understand. His older brother had always done whatever their dad told him to. He'd always been fine with their hunting lifestyle. Never staying in one place long enough to make friends and hustling the local townspeople out of their weekly paychecks. Yeah, Dean was daddy's little soldier. But Sam, he on the other hand questioned his dad constantly. Sam hated having to move all the time and never being able to make friends his own age. When Dean had been excited to learn how to bow-hunt, Sam had wanted to play soccer instead. Sam had a need, a desire to live the normal 'apple-pie' life that the rest of his family seemed to hate with a passion. _So yeah, forgive me if I don't think that's necessarily the truth_ Sam thought. "I think I just want to go to bed." Sam said quietly as he made to stand.

John nodded and let Sam have his space. "Okay, goodnight son, I'll see you in the morning." He smiled softly.

Sam sniffed and nodded. "Night dad." He said before climbing the stairs to go collapse on his bed.

~DW/SW~

Sam woke abruptly the next morning, shouting "No!" at the top of his lungs. Dean and John raced upstairs, fearing that somehow a demon had gotten past the protection barriers they had set up and was attacking Sam. Dean burst through the door, his gun drawn only to find that Sam was the room's sole occupant. He put his gun back in the waistband of his jeans and quietly walked over to the bed, announcing his presence so as to not startle Sam who was sitting, shaking on the bed. "Sammy?" He asked sinking down onto the bed. "What is it? What's wrong?" He asked concerned as John walked around the room, checking to make sure that there were no threats towards his son lurking around. Dean looked up and John shook his head, giving him the all-clear. _One of his nightmares then_ Dean concluded knowing how prone his brother was to them.

"Sammy, what did you dream about?" Dean asked scooting closer to his brother and taking note of the shivering that was currently running through him. _Please don't say the rape_ Dean prayed, he really didn't want his brother to ever remember that.

Sam looked up and hiccupped as tears ran streams down his cheeks.

"Hey, it's okay… whatever it is you can tell me." Dean soothed reaching a gentle hand up to wipe his brother's tears away.

Sam bit his lip and more tears escaped.

"Sammy, please tell me… I can't fix it if I don't know what's wrong?" Dean smiled a little continuing to brush his thumb over Sam's cheek.

Sam took a deep, shuddering breath. "I remember." He whispered as if he were afraid to say it any louder. "I remember everything."

_Fuck!_ Dean internally screamed. "Sammy…" Dean sighed as he pulled Sam into his arms and motioned for their dad to come over. "I know you don't want to remember and I wish you didn't but I swear Sam, as a family, we will get through this and dad and I are here and we're going to take care of you… all three of you." Dean said looking to his dad for confirmation.

John still wasn't sure where he stood on whether or not the twins were human but he did know his son needed support right now and as much as he could get so he laid a gentle hand on Sam's back and began to rub it. "Dean's right Sammy, all three of you are going to be taken care of." John reassured.

Sam glanced up from his place in Dean's arms and looked up almost disbelievingly. Both his dad and brother had just said that both he and his twins, or whatever he was carrying, would be taken care of but how was that possible? And why the hell would his family want to take care of the mutant who-knows-what-they-are freaks? _At least they're not blaming me for my screw-ups_ Sam thought feeling the slightest bit relieved as he tried to forget the very real nightmare he'd just woken up from.

Dean laid a soft kiss on Sam's head and looked up at their dad with a look of surprise on his face. He hadn't expected John to go along with his little speech but he was glad he had, if both of them were on board and on the same side then maybe it would be easier to convince Sam that everything would be okay. "It's gonna be alright Sam, you'll see." Dean whispered. _I don't know how but it will be_ Dean thought. He would make it alright.

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Hey! So, I hope you liked Sammy waking up! And now John, Dean & Co. have their hard work cut out for them as Sam comes to terms with everything. Thanks again for reading, I really love hearing from all of you so I hope you'll drop me a note and remember, if there's any little scene or whatever that you want to see, let me know! I'll try to update soon, thanks again! :)


	9. Chapter 9

Hey guys, here's the next chapter, I hope it's not too short. I hope you enjoy it and I really appreciate every single review you guys are leaving me! Each one is very helpful and cherished and Gracias to my spanish reviewer too! Thanks also to the people who choose just to read the story, I hope you're enjoying the story as well!

Can you believe after tonight's episode, they're making us wait again?! Those people are sooo evil, aren't they? Making us wait like that? Anyways, thanks again for reading and please let me know what you thought of the chap. I'll try to update soon. Enjoy! :)

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Dean woke up, yawned, and stretched as a bit of the morning sun filtered in through the curtains forcing him to rise and shine. Groaning, he turned his head to the side and noticed that his brother's bed was empty but had been recently slept in as the sheets were all tossed around. A quick glance towards the bathroom told him that Sam wasn't in there. Dean was on the verge of freaking out when he heard the clanking of pots and pans downstairs. Letting out a relieved sigh, he pushed the covers back and climbed to his feet wanting to make sure Sam wasn't over working himself. To say Sam was under a good deal of stress at the moment, emotionally, physically, and mentally would have been the understatement of the year and Dean wanted to make sure that Sam was getting the proper amount of rest he needed in order to be able to deal with what was going on.

Sure enough, he found Sam standing at the kitchen sink, numerous delicious smelling dishes covering the counter tops. He could see that Sam had also set the table for five. "What are you doing up, shouldn't you be in bed resting?" Dean asked.

Sam swallowed thickly and placed the glass he was cleaning down before turning around to face his older brother. "I thought I'd make breakfast." He said quietly.

"Oh, you didn't have to do that." Dean said surprised. "I would have done it for you."

"I know but I ah, I couldn't sleep so I decided I'd do something useful around here for once." He replied sounding a bit bitter.

Sam's tone of voice and word choice made Dean raise an eyebrow and look at him funny. "What do you mean useful for once?" He asked concerned.

Sam scoffed. "I really don't think I've been too much help round here lately."

"Yeah but Sam, that's not your fault… you can't help it if you're not feeling well and out of it." Dean said trying to see what his brother was getting at. _Besides you deserve a little R&R after what happened_ Dean silently added.

Sam nodded not really believing his brother. He was a Winchester and Winchesters were expected to suck it up and deal not run and hide like pansies!

"Go on, sit down okay. I'll finish up here." Dean said urging his brother towards the table.

Sam clenched his teeth trying to keep his irritation at Dean under control. He knew Dean was just trying to do what he thought was best and would make life easier for Sam. Unfortunately, it only had the opposite effect on Sam. _One more thing they don't think I'm capable of doing_ Sam thought as he continued to belittle himself. He picked up a nearby pan that he had just finished drying and gripped it tightly, trying to put all his anger and hurt into that one motion. It didn't work.

"Go on Sammy, it's okay, I've got it. " Dean said as he reached forward to take the pan out of his brother's hand.

"I don't want you to get it!" Sam yelled yanking his hand back, the pan flipping into the air and knocking the plate with the pancakes on it off the counter. Sam stared at his now ruined breakfast and felt tears spring to his eyes. Whether it was the hormones, the stress, his currently incredibly low self-esteem levels or a combination of all three… Sam lost it and completely deflated.

Dean watched the pan flip and fall as if it was all happening in slow motion. "I'm sorry Sam, we can make another batch." Dean said trying to apologize as he watched the different emotions cross his brother's face before his shoulders finally slumped in defeat.

Sam shook his head. "Don't worry about it." He mumbled and then quietly left the kitchen, hoping Dean hadn't seen the tears that were waiting to fall.

"Sam!" Dean called as he watched his brother walk out the back door and sit down on the screened-in porch. He went to follow him when he felt a hand on his arm. Surprised that someone else had been present, Dean turned around to see Pastor Jim standing behind him.

"Let him go son, he needs some time to himself." Jim explained before patting Dean's arm twice and then removing it all together.

Dean bit his lip and nodded as he watched Sam sit on the porch swing swaying back and forth before returning to the kitchen to clean one of the messes he'd made. He knew the other one would need a bit more than paper towels and a sponge to fix.

~DW/SW~

Sam sat on the old porch swing, one leg hanging off and pushing against the deck to propel himself forward. _I just wanted to make breakfast… show them that I could do something to help out around here_ Sam thought as he stared out at the vast property that Jim lived on. It was beautiful really, and quite peaceful with the tall, green trees and the nice sunny temperatures telling him that summer was definitely coming soon. But now looking out at the trees that surrounded the property, there was also a good bit of fear in them too. They hid what could be in the distance… watching him and Sam involuntarily shuddered as he remembered the demon telling him how much he liked to watch him. Sam closed his eyes and put his hands over his ears, as if he was attempting to block those thoughts and memories from reaching him. He jumped when he heard the screen door open and the deck creak a bit as someone joined him. Not wanting to have anyone see the fear and embarrassment that was sure to be written all over his face, Sam turned away, letting his too-long bangs hide his normally expressive eyes and his arms fell to his sides.

"Hey…" Dean said awkwardly as he leaned against the porch rail trying to casually observe his brother. When he'd walked out onto the deck, Sam had been sitting with his eyes closed and his hands covering his ears, rocking. Dean wasn't sure if Sam was aware of that last motion, he seemed to be trying to lock himself up somewhere. He hoped Sam wasn't going to have a mental breakdown anytime soon, not that the kid hadn't been through enough to grant one but still, that really wouldn't be ideal for any of them. An hour had passed since their little fiasco in the kitchen and Dean hoped that was enough time for his brother to cool down and forgive him.

Sam didn't answer and kept his face turned away.

_I take it you're still mad then_ Dean thought. "Ah… dad wants to talk, have one of his 'family-meetings'… you wanna come in for a minute?" He asked hesitantly.

"Oh, um, yeah… okay… I'll be in soon." Sam replied quietly.

"Okay… ah guess, I'll see you inside then…" Dean drifted off as he walked back inside, letting the door swing shut behind him.

Sam jumped again when the door banged shut and he internally cursed, hating how paranoid and shaky he was now. _Yeah, I'll be real useful on hunts _he scoffed. After several minutes had passed, Sam heaved a deep sigh and pushed himself up heading towards the family room filled with nerves and raw anxiety. He knew what this meeting was about and he really was not looking forward to being the center of attention for one minute longer. He hoped that the meeting wouldn't run long but since when had luck ever been on his side? The answer was never, he was a Winchester after all and everyone knew that their luck stunk like rotten eggs.

~DW/SW~

Everyone looked up when they heard the soft footfalls of socked feet on the hardwood floor and momentarily stopped talking. "Hey Sam, have a seat okay? There are some things we need to discuss." John said as he instructed Sam to take a seat on the couch beside Dean.

Sam nodded and silently sat down beside his brother, not daring to look at anyone. He made sure there was an adequate amount of space between him and Dean as well. He knew his brother would never hurt him, not like how that demon had but still, right now his personal space was very precious to him and he needed it to be respected more now than ever. Plus, he was still a little hurt at Dean's insistence that he be waited on like he was a helpless child.

After a couple of minutes and no one said anything, John decided he would get the ball rolling and cleared his throat. "Sam, your brother, Steven and I have been talking and we came up with a few ideas… ways to keep you healthy and entertained over the next couple months." He started.

Sam nodded, showing his understanding but not really knowing how enjoyable these next few months were going to be.

"Okay, to start with… here's a list of foods that will provide good nutrients for the twins so why don't you choose which ones sound good to you and then Dean can run down to the store later and get them for ya." John said passing his son the list.

Dean nodded, having accepted the role as 'errand-runner' in their suddenly domesticated lifestyle.

Sam took the list from his dad and looked it over. "Can I um… can I have a pen?" He asked quietly.

"Sure." Dean said standing up to retrieve one from the kitchen. "Here," He tried to hide the hurt he felt when Sam flinched when Dean's leg accidentally brushed his.

Sam continued to stare at the paper. "Thanks." He mumbled.

Dean smiled softly. "No problem." He retook his seat and waited for his dad to continue.

"Here's a list of some exercises you can do too, it's important to keep in shape during your pregnancy." Steven interjected.

Sam looked up with a confused look on his face. "Why?" He asked. "Why is it suddenly so important that I'm eating right and exercising… aren't we just gonna dump these things as soon as I pop 'em out?" His voice cracked and his eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

Dean looked at Sam for a minute. That was actually a good concern because he honestly hadn't thought that far ahead and he highly doubted his dad had either. In truth, he wasn't sure what they were going to do but he didn't feel quite right about dumping two newborn babies faster than he could get the waitress's number even if there was the possibility that they might be some supernatural being. "Because we want this to go good and it's not going to if you don't take care of yourself." Dean replied.

Sam didn't respond and kept his face turned away so Dean couldn't 'read' him.

The group sat in awkward silence until John spoke again. "I know you probably won't be happy to hear this but I think… we all think it would be best if you didn't return to school… not until after the twins are born. I'm sorry." John said forcing himself to say _twins_ without any malice or contempt in his voice. Dean had made a point the other day when he'd told him that Sam wouldn't be able to accept the twins or what was happening if his family didn't. They had to start somewhere.

Sam nodded and there was no objection from him on that subject because c'mon, going to school as a pregnant guy would just plain and simple suck. _Just another example of how these freaks are ruining my life_ he thought. He had wanted to try to apply to colleges… big name colleges that would be able to offer him scholarships since he knew there was no way he or his family would be able to pay for any education he wanted. It looked as if those dreams had been squashed and were as good as dead and buried.

Dean stared at his brother for a moment, still not used to this quiet side of Sam's, before adding. "But don't worry Sam, after they are born we'll get you re-enrolled or something okay. We'll figure it out." Dean said trying to project a semi-positive alternative. He wanted Sam to know that this wasn't world-ending, no matter how much it seemed like that.

Sam nodded, mumbling "whatever" under his breath.

"And ah, we would prefer it if you didn't go anywhere alone… not, not after what happened last time. I'm sorry Sam but it's for the best." John said sternly waiting for volcano Sam to erupt.

To his surprise, Sam didn't start screaming or putting up a huge hissy fit and in all actuality, John wasn't quite sure how to react to that. Ever since Sam had been a young child, he'd had a massive stubborn streak and had never taken anything lying down. John never thought he'd say this but he missed that fighting side to Sam and wished to see it again.

"What do you think about this?" Jim asked, hoping to get the boy to open up. He was after all, an intricate part of this discussion and he wanted to make sure Sam got his say.

"I'm not totally invalid ya know?" Sam muttered several long minutes later. "Might not be able to hunt but I can walk without you guys having to hold my hand." He looked up and there was an angry glare in his eyes, a big contrast to the quiet, withdrawn teen he'd been only a couple minutes ago.

_There's my boy_ John thought when he heard the sarcastic comment. "Sam, that's not what I said." He replied.

"Oh really?" Sam scoffed. "I realize I screwed up okay, I know I did! I'm fucking pregnant dad, I know how badly I messed up but that doesn't mean I can't walk two steps without you guys needing to check to make sure the coast is clear first!" He yelled, tears streaking down his cheeks.

"Sammy, calm down okay…" Dean said standing up. He faced his brother and pointed to the couch. "Come on, let's talk about this rationally alright? That's not what dad meant Sam, c'mon, calm down okay."

Sam stared at Dean for a moment. "Of course you want me to sit down, you don't think I can wipe my ass without you telling me instructions first?! Do you Dean?"

"Sam," Dean said, starting to get annoyed. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off a headache.

"No, you know what forget it… I don't need to be here right now because whatever I say, you guys will just ignore so I think I'm going to go lay down and then you can tell me later what I'm supposed to do." He said calmly before marching up the stairs, leaving everyone else standing around in shock.

~DW/SW~

Sam walked into his and Dean's shared room and plunked down onto his bed. So maybe he could have said that better but he couldn't take it anymore. His family was making decisions about him for him without even asking for his opinion first and that bugged him to no end. It made him feel as if they didn't trust him enough to know what he wanted, to know what he needed and it was just one more way of making him feel completely inadequate. It wasn't that he wanted to go to school but it would have been nice to have been asked about it before they'd decided. _College hopeful to high school drop-out_ Sam thought bitterly even as he considered his brother's suggestion that after the twins were born, he re-enroll. Sam doubted he'd be able to anyway, they'd probably go back to life on the road and sleeping in tacky, run-down motels. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to happen after the twins were born but he doubted there would be an apple-pie house waiting for him at the end of this nightmare.

Rolling onto his side, Sam sighed continuing to think about the meeting. The babies, everyone downstairs had seemed moderately okay with them… no one even mentioned that they might be demons and his dad had actually said the word 'twins' without sounding hateful. And what was with the food list and exercises? Sam wasn't sure what to make of this, of his families new perspective on his situation and it kind of confused him and freaked him out a bit. Sam didn't know how he was supposed to feel about the things he had inside of him and he growled. _Guess I have to wait for Dean to come in and tell me a story about Dandelions and fairies_ Sam thought as he rolled over onto his stomach.

Sighing again, Sam pushed himself up and began walking toward the bathroom that was out in the hall. He was about halfway there when he saw Dean's duffle bag lying open on the floor, a pile of dirty clothes surrounding it. Sam noticed that in the midst of the pile of clothes, there was a book. An actual, honest-to-god, written with words and not just porn shots book! Curious, he picked it up and flipped it over so he could see the cover, his curiosity turning to shock when he saw what it actually was. On the cover was a picture of a pregnant woman with what Sam guessed was supposed to be her doting husband behind her. Underneath the picture were the words What to Expect When Your Girl's Pregnant: The Man's Guide to Pregnancy. _He bought this_ Sam thought as he stared at the book in his hands. Looking through it, Sam could easily see that it was being read. Dean hadn't just bought it and then stuck it in the trunk of the Impala but was actually reading it as several pages were dog-eared. _I don't believe it_ Sam thought, tears filling his eyes.

The fact that Dean cared enough about him to go out and buy a book to try and understand what was going on with him really, really touched him and he felt a bit of his anger leave him. Even though he complained about his families smothering and over-protectiveness, he was glad they were there to support him and help him through this because he doubted he would have been able to handle this on his own.

"What ya looking at?" Dean asked as he stood in the doorway to their room, startling Sam out of his musings.

"Oh, ah nothing." Sam said quickly dropping the book but it was too late, Dean had already seen it in his hands.

"Nothing, hunh?" Dean smirked as he glanced at the book lying on the bed.

Sam shook his head and walked away, taking a seat on his bed.

"Sam?" Dean asked curiously. He wanted to know what was going on inside his brother's thick skull. They had finished the meeting, talking a bit more about future plans but after Sam's breakdown no one had really felt like talking, not that they were a sharing-and-caring bunch to start with. As he watched Sam stare at the floor, he was sure Sam's outburst had more to do with than just his lack of being able to participate in the decision making. "You wanna tell me what's going on inside that freaky head of yours?" He asked taking a seat across from Sam on his own bed. Sam's attempt to keep some distance between himself and everyone else hadn't gone unnoticed by Dean and he was trying to respect that.

Sam shook his head and got up, walking over to the window.

"Sammy, c'mon talk to me," Dean urged walking over to his brother and standing beside him.

"Why did you get it?" Sam asked a couple minutes later.

"The book?" Dean asked and Sam nodded. "I don't know… I guess I wanted to know what was going on in there…" He said motioning to Sam's abdomen. "And how I could help you out so ya know…" He shrugged.

Sam gave Dean a small smile as he wiped a hand across his eyes. "Thank you." He said softly.

Dean smiled and shrugged again. "How are you doing?" Dean asked hesitantly, he wasn't so sure what kind of mood Sam was in and if a heart-to-heart was in the cards for right now.

"I'm scared." Sam said quietly. "Dean, I'm so scared… I don't know what I'm supposed to do or think…" He cried.

"Sammy," Dean sighed softly and then moved a little closer to Sam, just so that their elbows were touching. He hoped it was okay. "I know you're scared Sam, I know you are but can I tell you a secret?" Dean asked with a small smile on his face.

"What?" Sam asked so softly Dean barely heard him.

"I'm scared too." Sam looked at him, unshed tears in his eyes. "It's okay to be scared Sam, I mean, this isn't something you really hear about is it?"

Sam shook his head, his shaggy hair shaking from side to side reminding Dean of when Sam was much younger.

"But who said scary has to be bad?" Dean asked.

Sam looked at Dean confused. "I was impregnated by a demon Dean, I don't really see the good news in that?"

"Yeah but we don't know if the babies are demons Sam, we don't really know much of anything right now so why worry when things might be okay?" He smiled softly and reached over to brush a thumb across Sam's cheeks.

Sam shrugged as he contemplated that. "Can you make me a promise?" He asked a couple minutes later.

"Anything." Dean replied instantly.

Sam smiled, he knew Dean was going to say yes… he couldn't remember the last time he'd asked Dean to make him a promise and his brother had said no.

"What is it?" Dean asked when Sam remained quiet.

"Promise me you'll back off a little. I know you mean well but you… and dad… you guys kind of make me feel inadequate like you don't trust me enough to let me decide what I can and I can't handle?" He asked.

Dean opened his mouth to say something but Sam cut him off as he continued.

"I… I… I want you guys to trust me again and… and I want to be a part of this family, not just something you guys have to take care of I guess but I don't know…" Sam drifted off and wiped his eyes on the back of his hand.

"What do you mean by trusting you again?" Dean asked confused. "Or that you want to be a part of the family again, Sam you never stopped being a part…"

Sam cut Dean off. "Yes I did… you guys act like I'm made out of glass now and like I could break at any second. Dean, I want to be able to help out around here. You guys shouldn't have to wait on me hand and foot… I don't want you to. I mean, I think I am capable of making a snack without causing great bodily harm."

Dean gulped and looked away, okay, so maybe he had over-reacted a bit but so what? Sam was in a vulnerable state, he was allowed to worry. At least, he had the decency to give Sam a sheepish smile.

"I know you guys don't mean to but when you help me with every little thing, you kind of make me feel like you think I can't do it, like you don't trust me to be okay enough to… I don't want to be a burden." He finished.

"I'm sorry Sam, I… I never meant to make you feel inadequate… we were just worried and didn't want anything more to happen to you." Dean apologized. _I never wanted any of this to happen to you in the first place_ Dean thought.

"I know I worried you guys, I know I did and I get that, I do. I mean, I think if our positions had been switched, I would have mothered you to death too but…" He drifted off because at this point, he was just repeating himself.

"I'll try to back off a bit okay… can't guarantee how well I'll actually succeed but I'll try Sam…" Dean answered.

Sam smiled a little. "Thanks, I ah… I appreciate all your support and stuff but I just need to do some things for myself ya know? But I promise, I'll let you know if it gets to be too much." He relented.

Dean nodded. "It's a deal." He said as he gently leaned over a bit and nudged Sam's shoulder with his.

* * *

Hey! So, I hope you liked them trying to come up with plans and so forth. Thanks again for reading, you guys really do make the writing part so much more fun and I hope you continue to enjoy it! I'll try to update soon. :)


	10. Chapter 10

Hey guys! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter, it's a bit longer than the last couple chapters.

I have a couple of questions/concerns and I'm hoping you guys are willing to answer them. The first is to you guys does it seem like the story is moving too slow or is it at a good pace? Since I know where this thing is going, I'm okay with it but I don't want you guys to get bored, that would be bad so please let me know your thoughts. Second, Sam is supposed to be traumatized and he is, we all know that, but I'm not sure if it came across that he actually is in this chapter, at least during the day so please let me know what you think. I can always amp it up but I wasn't sure about this chapter. I'd really appreciate you guys helping me figure those two things out.

Thanks again for reading and reviewing! You guys are awesome and I **SO** appreciate everyone taking the time to read this and then send me feedback, it really does mean a lot! Enjoy! :)

* * *

Sam stood at the stove flipping his newest and to date, most freaky concoction. On today's menu was a quesadilla filled with oranges, pickles, and salsa. He tensed a bit when he heard footsteps approach but managed to keep his shaking hands to a minimum. Sam let out a relieved breath, glad he hadn't burnt himself somehow. _Just what I need, to be banned from the kitchen because it's a hazard zone_ Sam thought as he considered what his dad and brother would most likely do if he did manage to injure himself while in there. _Guess it would give Dean the right to throw my words in my face, hunh?_ Sam wiped a hand across his eyes and tried not to think about that, about being a further let-down, instead focusing solely on the yummy breakfast he was cooking up.

Dean stood in the entrance to the kitchen, leaning against the wall watching how his brother's form seemed to shrink. He sighed internally and pushed himself off from the wall, no use in dwelling in the bad. He wasn't going to get anywhere doing so and if he wanted to help Sam, then he had to think positive. "Hey," He smiled, announcing his presence to try and ease his brother's guard down a little. The kid, understandably, spooked easy nowadays and Dean really didn't want Sam to accidently have a run-in with a hot stove anytime soon.

Dean was tempted to take the spatula out of Sam's hand and order him to sit at the table and rest when he saw Sam standing at the stove but knew that would only lead to an upset and possibly even more depressed Sam, not what he wanted by any means.

"Quesadillas? You wanna make me one…" He drifted off as he realized that this was his brother he was talking to and lately Sam had a very, very strange stomach. "Do I want to know what's in it?" He asked skeptically.

Sam shook his head. "You'll make fun of me if I tell you." He said quietly. Sam had expected Dean to order him to rest but he had to give his big brother credit, since their talk a little over a week ago Dean had backed off a little. Sam could see that there were still a couple times when an order to rest was on the tip of Dean's tongue but luckily, that was where they usually stayed.

"What if I promise not to?" Dean asked trying to get Sam to talk to him because lately, his normally outspoken and opinionated little brother was like a shy turtle much rather keeping to himself than joining in and offering his opinion. Okay, so maybe that was a tad bit their fault but still… he had to get the kid to open up somehow.

"Promise?" Sam asked shyly.

"I won't laugh, I promise." Dean smiled and walked to the fridge, hoping to hide his gag reflex behind the door.

"It's got chicken, salsa, and pickles… they're really good. I had one earlier." He answered and turned around when there was no comment from his brother. "Dean?" He asked cautiously.

"Dude, you can never rag on my diner burgers again!" He shook his head. "That is so nasty! Fried oranges…" He shivered slightly.

Sam's shoulders slumped and he turned back to the stove. "You said you wouldn't laugh." He pouted.

Dean tried to stifle the laughter that wanted to break free. He shook his head and walked to the cupboard grabbing a plate, noticing the note that was on the counter. It was from their dad and said that he had gone into town to pick up a part for the truck. He wasn't sure where Jim was but thought that Steven was probably the one in the shower. He set the plate down on the counter and then opened the drawer next to the dishwasher and grabbed a fork and knife as well, placing all three items on the kitchen table.

Sam saw Dean start to set the table and turned back to the stove. He wrapped one arm around himself and tried to keep the tears at bay… _so much for Dean not laughing or thinking I could do things on my own_. Sam knew he was being hormonal and over-reacting but he was a mess these days. He felt as if he had no control over anything anymore, his body was doing weird things, his emotions were all over the place and his future was just a little bit more than uncertain. Throw in his feelings of self-doubt and worry that there would be a second attack and he was just a huge ball of nerves.

Dean stopped when he no longer felt like he was being watched. "Sam?" He asked concerned as he watched his brother rock back and forth on the balls of his feet, his arms wrapped protectively around him.

Sam seemed to jump a little at Dean's voice. "I think I'm going to go lay down for a little while, 'kay." He said quietly before he stepped away from the stove and hurried to get out of the kitchen.

"Oh come on Sam, I'm sorry okay? I didn't mean to laugh, honest, it's just that you've got a very…" Sam stopped in the hall and looked at him expectantly. "Creative stomach is all okay." He finished arranging the silverware and then walked away from the table, his hands up in surrender.

Sam stared at the floor before raising his eyes to barely meet Dean's gaze. "You planning on becoming an event planner?" Sam asked as he nodded his head in the direction of the place setting.

Dean followed Sam's gaze and quickly decided he was hungry. "What, you think that's for you?" He asked, smiling a little when he saw the surprised look on his brother's face. So maybe the place setting was originally for Sam but his brother was offering him an out and Dean was sure as hell going to take it. "You're cooking your own freaky creations… I gotta eat too man." He said as he walked to the fridge and pulled out the left-over meat lasagna they'd had for dinner the previous night.

"Oh." Sam replied quietly. _Why do I always have to jump to conclusions… not everything is about me_ he thought. He looked up when he heard Dean calling his name.

Dean was smiling at him. "I was wondering if I could throw it out or…" Sam didn't let Dean finish his sentence as he hurried back to the stove. "Guess you're still hungry then." He muttered as he served himself a large heaping of the lasagna.

Sam nodded and flipped the quesadilla before deciding it was done and taking it out of the frying pan. He placed it on the 'father's day' plate he had made years and years ago before turning off the stove. Sam stood there for a moment, thinking, causing Dean to wonder, and hope, that he'd changed his mind about the food when he walked to the fridge and took out both the maple syrup and chocolate sauce.

"Dude?" Dean asked, now wishing Sam was craving some of that rabbit food instead of this masterpiece on the table. Though he wasn't completely sure what his brother would do to a typical salad if it were placed in front of him.

"There, now it's done." Sam smiled a little as his stomach grumbled and he took a seat at the table opposite Dean.

Dean shook his head but chose not to say anything about the gross looking fried mess and instead, shoved an overly large bite of meat, cheese, and pasta into his mouth.

~DW/SW~

Sam slowly woke from his mid-day slumber and stretched out the kinks. _Shit, I stink_ he thought as he sniffed himself. Rubbing a hand through his hair, he yawned, grabbed a change of clothes and walked across the hall into the shower.

Sam made sure the door was locked and turned away from the mirror as he stripped out of his sweat pants and then the oversized t-shirt he'd stolen from Dean. He knew that his clothes still fit but he was trying to delay the need to go out and buy new, bigger clothes for as long as possible. Sam hated his body; he hated the things it was doing now, how it was changing and surprising him and what it had allowed to happen… what he had allowed to happen.

Blinking back tears, Sam pulled back the curtain and stepped into the shower letting the hot water take his worries and fears away momentarily. Before long though, the water was starting to run cold and Sam regrettably shut it off. He had contemplated turning it to freezing and standing under it, with the hopes of catching pneumonia or something thinking that if he got ill his body just might get rid of its unwanted contents. Sighing though and realizing that if he did get sick, that would just be another added burden on his family and that was the last thing he wanted to so he abandoned that thought and grabbed the towel hanging on the rack above the toilet.

_Ouch that hurts_ Sam thought as he ran the towel over his chest. Glancing down at his chest, he noticed that even though they weren't necessarily bigger, the area around his nipples were a bit swollen and he did realize that they had been bugging him for the past day or so but he was too nervous and scared to do anything about it, fear that this was another thing that would make his pregnancy more real and that was not what he wanted, not at all! Sam continued though and pushed down on his left breast a little and flinched at the pressure there. He worried his bottom lip for several minutes before resigning himself to actually using the freaking equipment that he had hidden in the way back of the closet attached to his and Dean's room.

Sam slowly opened the bathroom door and peeked his head out, checking to make sure the coast was clear. When he saw that it was empty, he quickly pulled on the pants he'd brought into the room with him and dashed across the hall. Hurrying as fast as he could, he grabbed the box from its hiding place and ran back to the bathroom, only breathing normally when he'd made it back safely. Sam locked the bathroom door again and set the box down on the counter.

_How the hell does this thing work?_ Sam thought as he stared at the inanimate and yet, oh-so hated object. Reluctantly, he walked over to where he'd set it down and unpacked it. He picked up the directions that had come with the breast pump determined to figure it out on his own, there was absolutely no way in hell that he was asking for help with this, no freaking way! Looking back and forth between the piece of paper and the box, he took out the different parts and began to put it together.

_I cannot believe I'm doing this!_ Sam growled in frustration as he raised the breast pump to his left breast, which thankfully was still rather small and massaged the area before pushing down a little just like the instructions had said to do. To say he was freaked out at the results would be the understatement of the year though he'd been freaked out quite a bit just in the past three months alone. Sam watched a bit of the milky white liquid roll down his chest and stomach. _Fuck, I'm turning into a woman! Man, most kids when they turn sixteen get a car but no, not Sam Winchester! I get two freaking babies and a sex change! This is just awesome!_ He thought sarcastically though he did notice that his chest did feel a bit better, not so tight. Sam then repeated the same routine with his right breast and thankfully was done just a couple minutes later. _This is so gross_ he thought as he wiped his chest and stomach up and stuck the breast pump under the sink hoping no one would see it there.

Sighing, he put his shirt back on and sat on the closed toilet seat for a couple minutes, his head hanging in his hands. Running a hand through his hair, he heaved a deep a sigh and stood trying to find the courage to go out and face his family again. He hadn't seen his dad much that day and that was okay with him, not because he was angry with the man but because he didn't know how he was supposed to act around him. His dad had told him it was okay and that it wasn't his fault but all his life he'd been taught, drilled like he was in the army to be able to defend himself and when it had mattered most, he hadn't been able to do so. So was it really okay that he'd failed like his family claimed it to be or was this some cover for their disappointment in his actions? Sam didn't know and it made facing what had happened all that much harder to do.

~DW/SW~

It was late at night now and almost everyone had already gone to bed, leaving only Sam and Dean awake in their room. Dean was lying on top of his covers, reading the next chapter in the pregnancy book while Sam was lying in his bed trying to fall asleep and having no success at it.

Sam looked around the room, at the 'special' paint job on the walls to the lines of salt in front of the window before his eyes landed on the closed door that led out to the hall. Sam stared at it for several moments, hoping that his family was still vigilant with precautions even if he wasn't and had locked up downstairs. "You guys um… no, never mind." He shook his head and turned over to lie on his side.

Dean ear-marked the page he was on when he heard Sam start to speak and set it down beside him. "What is it Sammy?" He asked, trying to keep the concern out of his voice. After all, he had promised to stop mother-henning and he was trying very hard to keep that promise. Besides, one close call per day was fine with him, he didn't need to top himself.

Sam was lying on his side, facing away from Dean and clenched his eyes shut. "Never mind Dean, it's silly… just forget it okay." He said quietly, trying to keep the tremble out of his voice knowing Dean would pick up on it immediately.

"Sam?" Dean asked concerned.

_Didn't do that well enough then _Sam thought bitterly.

Dean had heard the shake in his brother's voice and knew that something was bothering the kid; he'd have to be an idiot to not realize that. Sam had been 'off' all day but that was to be expected with everything that was going on and everything he'd been made to endure over the past couple months. Truth be told, Sam hadn't really been _Sam_ since that morning when Dean had dropped him off at school, telling Dean he had a project to work on afterwards and didn't need a ride home. God, how he wished he could call Sam a bitch and have his brother tell him he was a jerk again. He didn't think he'd miss that little two word joke between them as much as he did but it was like a harsh reminder of how much things had changed and he hated it with a passion.

Dean looked over at Sam's 'sleeping' form and saw how small Sam was trying to make himself appear. He missed that spark that his brother had that led people to him and his smile that could light up a room. _I want you back Sammy, I want you back_ Dean silently pleaded to anyone who was listening _I'm gonna get you back, I swear_ he silently determined. He knew it might take a while, he'd gone on Jim's computer earlier and looked at rape recovery sites, namely for teenage boys and had read as much as he could without anybody, especially Sam, finding out. Dean had been saddened and yet a tiny bit relieved when he had read the information on the websites and had checked almost the entire check-list as he now had a place to go to find information to help Sam get through the non-supernatural aspect of this unexpected adventure. Of course, he had his brotherly instincts and the fact that he had practically raised the kid but now, he felt a tad bit more prepared to help.

He sighed and watched Sam for a few more minutes biting his lip in hesitation. He had a good idea of what his brother had been about to say, or at least allude to, but he wasn't so sure if bringing it up was the smart thing to do. Sighing again, he made his choice and went for it. "Don't worry Sammy, anything comes through that door without an invitation and the only thing they are going to find is the wrong end of my gun, okay?" He said reassuringly and meaning every word of it as he eyed the weapon lying on the nightstand beside his bed.

Sam sniffed in response but made no further comment.

_Please say something, tell me not to call you Sammy or that you don't need me to fight your battles for you… please Sam, please… anything _Dean pleaded. "Night Sammy, sleep well." Dean said when Sam still remained quiet. He smiled sadly at his brother's form and tried to fall asleep himself, hoping that Sam actually would be able to.

~DW/SW~

Sam startled awake after having to endure yet another "instant replay" of that afternoon in the woods. Breathing deeply, he looked to his brother's bed and was calmed slightly to see Dean sleeping peacefully. Knowing his brother was right there beside him helped sooth his racing heartbeat a bit and he lay back against the bed, fisting the covers tightly. Sam knew his brother had meant what he'd said earlier, about the uninvited getting a not so friendly welcoming but he was still scared. He had been on church grounds when he'd been… attacked. Church grounds were supposed to be hallowed grounds, a space that evil couldn't reach but evil **had** breached it so who said the house was safe? Even with his over-protective guard dog beside him? Sam shuddered at the thought that he wasn't as safe as he could be and slipped further underneath the covers, pulling them up over his head trying to be as quiet as possible.

~DW/SW~

Not sure why he'd woken up so suddenly, Dean laid perfectly still, one hand underneath his pillow curling around the handle of his favorite hunting knife. Silently counting to three, he quickly turned over but found the room just as it should be. After doing a second look around though, he noticed the shaking bundle of blankets on his brother's bed and the small whimpers that were coming from the mass. _Guess not, hunh Sammy…_ Dean thought as he put his knife back and climbed out of bed.

Sam heard someone approaching his bed and tried to make himself even smaller, fisting the blankets like they were an impenetrable wall of protection surrounding him. _Dean, wake up! Dean, please… come on!_ Sam silently screamed. _DEAN!_

Dean noticed how Sam's shaking only got worse the closer he got and stopped. "Sammy?" He called softly, making his presence known. "It's just me, okay?" He took a seat on the floor by the bed. "It's okay Sammy, you don't have to be scared man… you're safe here okay, it's just me."

Sam breathed a sigh of relief when he heard his brother's voice and his grip on the blankets loosened though he still kept hidden under them. _Not as safe as I need to be_ Sam thought as he continued shaking. "It's church grounds…" He mumbled so softly Dean almost didn't hear it.

"What Sammy, I can't really hear you." Dean replied.

"I said it's church grounds." Sam repeated, this time loud enough for Dean to make out even from beneath the heavy blankets.

He smirked a little. "Well, Jim is a pastor… kind of has to live here." Dean said, trying to interject a little bit of humor into the tense moment.

Sam shook his head ignoring Dean's attempt to make him laugh or roll his eyes. "N… no, not safe… church grounds are supposed to be safe… b… but it's… it's not." He tried to explain.

"Aw, Sammy… no kiddo, the house is safe okay? Jim has tons of layers of protection up and dad and I planted extra ones okay… nothing's gettin' in here, I promise Sam." Sam sniffled a little.

_You're safe here Sammy, you are… I promise. No demon, no nothing is getting passed me _Dean thought as he eyed the door and then the window to their room. Dean turned around and kneeled in front of the bed. Finding Sam's head, he gently dropped a hand down on top of it. Slowly, Sam pulled back the covers to peek out at Dean. "Hey," Dean smiled softly and wiped a thumb across both Sam's cheeks.

Sam closed his eyes at the touch, reveling in the gentleness of it. "It's not safe Dean." He whispered.

Dean shook his head. "What's not safe Sammy?" Dean asked, keeping his hand on Sam's cheek after seeing that his brother was okay with the touch.

Sam swallowed and kept his eyes closed, trying to keep his voice steady. "Here," He answered and his eyes slowly trailed around the room, a fearful look in them.

"No Sammy, no that… that was a fluke Sammy and it's not going to happen again okay? You're protected here, I swear to god you are." Dean reassured.

"You don't know that, what if there's more of them Dean? What if they come back?" Sam asked and Dean had to hide the anger he felt when he thought about the competition they'd found out about. There wasn't going to be a winner to that competition, not if he had anything to say about it.

"They won't get anything Sam but a permanent trip back under, okay." He said with his voice filled with determination.

Sam was quiet as he sat on the bed, the heavy cover still pulled tight around his shoulders with Dean kneeling in front of him. "You promise?" Sam asked sounding so much younger than his sixteen years.

Dean nodded. "I promise."

Sam bit his lip and nodded though Dean could see that there was still something weighing on his brother's mind.

"You want to tell me what's going on in there?" Dean asked gently knocking their foreheads together.

Sam looked away before closing his eyes, trying to stop the stem of tears that was waiting to fall. After a moment though, he shook his head, sniffed for what seemed like the umpteenth time since he'd woken up and dried his eyes.

Dean nodded and let his brother have his space. "Go back to sleep okay, it's still pretty early." He suggested softly and removed his hand, preparing to stand himself.

Sam missed Dean's touch and the comfort it brought with it the moment it was gone but didn't try to get it back as he stayed kneeling on the bed.

"I don't think that's gonna be too comfortable in the morning," Dean smiled as he gently gave his brother's shoulder a little shove.

Sam shook his head again and reached out for Dean before looking at him pleadingly. Dean was confused for a few minutes as he watched Sam's silent refusal to lie down before it finally clicked. Standing up, he walked back to his bed and grabbed both his knife and gun, placing the gun in Sam's nightstand and the knife under the extra pillow he'd also snagged. Dean then lied down and opened his arms, encouraging Sam that even though they hadn't shared a bed since god knows when, it was okay. It took a couple minutes but Sam eventually laid down beside Dean, his head on his big brother's chest and one hand gripping tight to the amulet hanging around his neck.

Dean wrapped a strong arm around Sam and pulled the covers up over the both of them. "Sweet dreams now okay?" He whispered softly.

Sam nodded. "No monster visits?" He asked suddenly.

Dean was taken back for a moment when he heard Sam's question. That was something he used to tell Sam when the kid was tiny. Every night when he'd tuck Sam in, his little brother would always ask for no monster visits and he would always smile and tell Sam that he and dad had already killed all of them. It usually worked and made putting the kid to bed a lot easier. "Yeah Sammy, no monster visits." Dean replied and waited until he heard Sam's soft breathing before trying to fall back asleep again.

~DW/SW~

Dean had just entered the living room, his arms full of groceries, when he heard a thump come from upstairs. Worried as to what or who could have caused it, he quickly placed the bags down on the table and hurried up the stairs. "Sam?" He called knocking softly on their bedroom door. When he didn't get an answer, he pushed the door open to find Sam lying face first on the carpet, not far from his bed. _Shit!_ Dean thought as he screamed for his dad and whoever else was home to get their asses upstairs now! "Sam! Sammy? Wake up!" He ordered slapping his brother across the face and hoping to elicit some kind of reaction from him. He growled when Sam remained unconscious.

"Dean, what is it?" John asked as he and Jim walked into the boy's room. "Oh… Steven!" John yelled as he moved towards Sam and Dean. "Here, let's get him onto the bed."

Not knowing why his brother was currently unconscious, Dean declined his dad's offer to help carry him. Dean scooped Sam up, easily enough, and then placed him on the bed nervously staring down at him.

Steven came into the room, his medical kit in hand. "How long has he been like this?" He asked as he pulled out his stethoscope and listened to Sam's heartbeat finding it to be steady if a little slow.

Dean shrugged as he worried his bottom lip. "I don't know… I'd just gotten home from the store when I heard him fall so," He looked at his watch. "Only about ten minutes, doc, what's wrong with him?"

John and Jim looked on, nervousness showing on their faces.

"I'm not sure there's anything wrong with him, it's not too uncommon for pregnant woman to faint." Steven explained.

"Well, isn't that fu… freaking fantastic!" Dean said, curbing his mouth when he remembered that Jim was in the room.

"He should be fine, just needs a bit more rest is all." Steven concluded packing his medical equipment up.

_Yeah, that's gonna be real easy when he's getting nightly wake-up calls_ Dean silently thought. He didn't think his brother would like it if he told their dad about the nightmares starting up again.

"What about the twins?" John asked as he stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

"They should be okay, this isn't totally unexpected and the body is pretty good about protecting those two little packages." He reassured.

Dean huffed and went to take a seat on his bed, ready to watch over the kid until he woke when he remembered his promise not to smother. Reluctantly, he stood and followed his dad, Steven, and Pastor Jim out of the room.

~DW/SW~

About half an hour later, Sam came trudging down the stairs, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Hey, you're up." Dean commented from where he stood inside the kitchen pouring himself a cup of coffee. He carefully but discreetly observed his brother trying to determine if Sam seemed okay on his feet at the moment.

Sam smirked at his brother. "Really because I thought I was sleep walking." He retorted.

Dean shook his head and laughed, glad to see his brother bantering a bit. It was without a doubt, a welcome sight. "Don't get sassy with me." Dean replied.

Sam smiled a little before taking a seat on the couch. "I didn't realize I'd fallen back asleep." He said, yawning, a couple minutes later.

Dean came over and sat on the recliner beside the couch. "Ah, you didn't… not really."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" He asked confused.

"We think you fainted." Dean answered with a small smile on his face.

"Are you serious?" Sam asked with a grimace on his face.

Dean nodded.

"Fantastic, more ammo you can use against me." Sam groaned.

Dean laughed a little. "Don't worry, I'll let you off the hook… this time okay?" He joked before his face grew serious again. "How are you though? Do you feel okay?" He asked concerned about the reason why Sam may have fainted earlier even if Steven had said that it wasn't uncommon in pregnant people.

Sam knew his brother was just worried because of his apparent earlier meeting with the floor and so he allowed him to do a little mother-henning. "I feel okay, I mean, I'm not dizzy or anything…" Sam answered.

"That's good." Dean smiled, glad to hear that it didn't look like there'd be any repeats.

"Um, Dean?" Sam asked, breaking the somewhat comfortable silence that had fallen between them.

"Yeah?" Dean asked before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Um, did Steven say how ah…?" He glanced down at his stomach and Dean got the message.

Dean wasn't sure what had prompted his brother to ask about the twins, but he was glad that Sam was showing some kind of an interest in them other than ways to dispose of them. "He said they were fine, that the body was designed to keep them safe so..." Dean answered.

Sam bit his lip and nodded, looking away. He wasn't sure why he'd asked about them or why he'd even felt the need to ask but he was a little relieved to hear that for the moment, at least, things were okay. After all, it would suck to have to go through all this shit for nothing.

* * *

Hey! Thanks again for reading! I hope you liked the chap and please let me know what you thought of it, your feedback means that I get to write a better story and is very much cherished! I'll try to get another chapter up soon. Have a good weekend everybody! :)


	11. Chapter 11

Hey guys... I am so unbelievebly sorry for how late this chapter is... forgive me? I had a stupid research/ library skills class I had to take, it's a graduation requirement at my college and it ate up almost all of my writing time... and one of my little sisters is threatening to run away... it's long and complicated so I won't bore you guys with the details but it has not been fun in the least, she's quite immature and would end up in a hell of a lot of trouble if she did run away. Luckily, my class just ended so that takes care of at least one problem with my time.

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter and I hope the content/quality makes up for the lateness. Thanks again for all your support! I look forward to hearing what you thought of the chapter. Enjoy! :)

* * *

"Please Dean… I feel fine okay, not dizzy at all." Sam pleaded as he sat on his bed with his back resting against the headboard. He'd just had his first appointment with Steven since waking up and the doctor had recommended that they start his hormone shots up again. In the days previous, he hadn't received them because nobody in the house, mainly Dean, felt like making Sam do anything he didn't want to do which included the degrading shots. But now, it appeared his little vacation from that particular embarrassment was over and he had to return to reality.

Dean looked up from where he stood preparing the injection and shook his head apologetically. "Yeah now you don't, but we don't know if that's always going to be the case hmm… what if you have another episode?" He argued back.

"I'll let you know if I start to feel sick, please Dean?" He begged.

Dean stubbornly shook his head again. He couldn't back down from this if they wanted to keep Sam as healthy as possible.

"But I feel fine!" Sam ground out, trying as hard as he could to delay it for as long as he could.

"But you're not fine Sam, not by a long shot and I'm sorry, I am but we gotta do this." Dean said setting the needle down on the sterilized tray and walking over to his brother. "Hell Steven said…"

Sam cut his brother off. "I know what Steven said Dean, I was there all right! But shouldn't I be okay by now?" Sam asked. "I mean, it's been over three months… hasn't my body adjusted yet?" He asked unsure if he wanted it to have adjusted or not. In one way, he did want his body to adjust to the babies he was carrying because that would mean he no longer had to take the shots everyday but in another sense, he thought it would be very freaky if all of a sudden he got used to lugging around something that really wasn't supposed to be in there in the first place.

"We can't take that chance Sam… you fainted alright and you're lucky you didn't hurt yourself or them. I'm sorry Sammy but there's no way around it." Dean sighed. "I promise I'll make it really quick and I won't hurt you, you know that right?" His tone softened.

Sam nodded. "I know you won't hurt me… I know you won't but Dean…" Sam looked at his brother with tears in his eyes.

Dean regretfully shook his head. He knew or at least could guess why his brother was trying to avoid the shot so much. He didn't want to expose himself like that, not after what had happened. Everyone in the house had noticed how Sam had taken to being fully clothed when he was around anybody else, and with the exception of Dean, he always left a little space in-between him and whoever he was standing next to. "Sammy," Dean said cautiously scooting over and putting an arm around Sam's shoulders. "This'll go really quick 'kay? And then I'll make you those quesadillas you like, alright?"

Sam wiped a hand across his eyes and nodded, his stomach grumbling a bit. "Guess I kind of have to say yes, don't I?"

"It'll go quick, I promise… you won't even notice okay?" Sam nodded and stood keeping his gaze on the floor. Dean gave him a small smile and then turned around to give his brother a modicum of privacy. "Ya good?" He asked after a couple minutes. Dean heard rustling followed by a quiet 'yeah'. Not wanting to prolong his brother's humiliation any longer than he had to, Dean moved quickly and grabbed the syringe checking to make sure all the air was out of it and then he approached Sam's bed.

Sam turned his head so he was facing the wall and had one hand wrapped around a section of his covers. As he felt Dean approach, he bit his lip to stop crying out. _Stop being so ridiculous, it's just Dean. God, you're such a baby!_ Sam blinked back tears and whispered, "I'm ready." In an incredibly shaky voice.

Dean nodded and took the final step to Sam's bedside. He saw the way Sam's whole body was tensed as if he was expecting an attack and it made his heart ache. "It's just me Sam." He said giving his brother a reassuring reminder. Placing one hand on the small of Sam's back and hating the way Sam tensed up at it, he blinked back tears of anger and quickly, yet gently administered the shot.

When Dean stepped back, Sam pulled his sweat pants back up and rolled over, covering his eyes with his arm. "Thanks," He mumbled even as the heat rose in his cheeks. Even if he was embarrassed about it, he was glad Dean was the one who helped him with it.

Dean smiled softly as he threw away the used needle. "I'll go make your lunch now, alright… you just relax." He ordered softly and Sam found he was surprisingly okay to follow that order.

~DW/SW~

Dean parked the Impala outside the local supermarket and went to grab a cart as he headed inside. The store was busy with lots of last-minute shoppers cashing in on the deals in the penny-saver ads and more than once, Dean smiled apologetically when he would accidentally bump someone else's cart or block the way. _I feel like a friggin' soccer mom_ he thought as he continued to do his errand. Never in a million years did he think this would be how he was spending his Saturday afternoon… working on the Impala, scoring some girls, hustling some small town workers out of his weekly paycheck or kicking some baddie's ass, sure, shopping for groceries, not so much. Even though they had now been living at Jim's for over a month, it still felt strange to be doing mundane activities like this when normally he would have just run down to the local mini-mart to grab a handful of artery clogging goodies using some strangers name and card.

He shook his head as he grabbed the bottle of A1 Steak Sauce off the shelf, mentally scratching it out on the list his dad had given him. Dean had been surprised to say the least when his dad had offered to barbeque some ribs for the 4th of July which was incidentally tomorrow. They hadn't celebrated the 4th of July since before his mom had died and he was curious as to why his dad was now picking the holiday up again. After all, this wasn't the first summer they'd spent at Jim's. Dean remembered Sam making construction paper American flags they'd pin up on the fridge when he was in early grade school telling Dean all about the holiday and how important it was. He often wondered what had happened to Sam's school projects that often got left behind when their family moved on and was a bit saddened to think that they'd ended up in the trash bin. His brother's childhood, his brother was worth more than that.

Sighing and thinking that maybe now things could be different, Dean pulled his cart to the side and double checked to make sure he'd grabbed everything that had been requested. The ribs were in the cart along with the barbeque sauce and charcoal. There was of course, the everyday items such as milk and bread but he'd also grabbed some corn and potatoes and different things to make a salad with, a couple packs of soda and beer, and per Sam's special request of the week, avocado and mango ice cream and liquorish. Dean shook his head and smiled a little when he thought about Sam's cravings, it was like the kid could eat anything besides normal food. He was sure their fridge would look like something out of Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory by the time the twins arrived.

Getting an idea, Dean stuffed the list back into his pocket and grabbed the handle of his cart again. Wondering if Sam would chew his head off for this, he began loading the cart up with anything he thought might come in handy before heading for the check-out.

Dean was waiting in line when a piece of paper stuck to the bulletin board next to him caught his eye. Seeing that the cashier was still working on the customer before him, Dean walked over and studied the piece of paper. _I could do that_ he thought as he looked at the paper advertising the fact that the local hardware store was hiring. He knew Jim had no problem putting all of them up but Jim's house wasn't all that big and they were already out of rooms, add in the nursery they'd need soon enough and that just wasn't going to be very comfortable for anybody. He knew he'd have to talk to his dad and Sam about it but maybe getting a place of their own might be nice, even for a little while. Grinning to himself, he walked back to his cart and began unloading it onto the now empty belt.

~DW/SW~

"What… what time are Bobby and Caleb coming?" Sam asked as he helped Dean put the groceries away.

"They didn't give an exact time… just said they'd be around sometime tomorrow afternoon so…" Dean replied as he put the bag of potato chips in the cupboard.

"Hey, where'd you get this?" Sam asked.

Dean turned around, pausing when he saw Sam holding up the bottles he'd bought as well as the few little teething toys. "Oh, I ah, I picked 'em up at the store… thought we might as well get started on supplies." He explained, a small smile making its way on to his face when he saw Sam nod and place a hand on his stomach for a moment. Even if the act was involuntary, Dean was glad to see that little connection being made and hoped there'd be a repeat.

Dean nodded silently before picking up the charcoal and carrying it outside to place it next to the barbeque for his dad to use later.

"Dean?" Sam asked from where he stood in the kitchen doorway.

"Yeah?" Dean replied dusting his hands off and walking back to his brother. "Sam, what?" Dean asked when his brother didn't elaborate continuing his way into the house knowing Sam was behind him, his brother had taken to following him around almost everywhere he went in recent days.

"Isn't this weird?" Sam asked as he looked around thinking about how domesticated their life had become, even if it was under very unusual circumstances.

"Isn't what weird?" Dean asked trying to get Sam to actually say what he thought the problem was. Ever since the rape, Sam had become like a quiet little turtle and Dean was trying incredibly hard to bring his brother out of that shell. He watched as Sam walked over to the couch and slumped down on it.

"This…" Sam said waving his hands and motioning to the area around them. "Dad wanting to barbeque… you going grocery shopping and buying baby toys… doesn't it feel like, I don't know… not right somehow?" Sam explained.

Dean shrugged. "I don't know, it's not so bad… I mean we get decent food now and we know the sheets don't have nasty-ass unidentifiable stains on 'em. Why, does it feel weird to you?" He asked before he realized that of course this probably felt weird to Sam. The kid was pregnant, Dean didn't know if Sam could detect the twins or whatever but he was partially glad he didn't have to find out. This thought made him feel instantly guilty though as he knew how much Sam had suffered over the past couple of months and he knew if he could, he'd take Sam's place in a heartbeat.

Sam sat down on the steps, crossing his arms over his chest and wincing a little. _Damn it_ he thought when he realized he'd probably have to use the breast pump again sometime soon, possibly later that night. "I guess, I mean… I've never seen dad act like this before."

"Act like what?" Dean asked sitting down beside his brother.

"All apple-pie, I guess… but everything is weird these days." Sam shrugged and Dean was quiet, hoping Sam might open up a little. "Nothing's how it's supposed to be anymore." He let out a little smirk.

"What?" Dean asked curiously.

"I actually kind of miss those stains." Dean looked at his brother like he'd just sprouted horns.

"You want to sleep in other people's bodily fluids… you're such a freak." Dean laughed.

Sam stared at Dean for a moment before punching him lightly on the arm. "I didn't mean it like that… I just meant I missed the way things used to be." He said, turning his head away as tears filled his eyes.

"Sam?" Dean asked setting his beer down. He could see Sam shaking a little and was worried about what was going through his brother's mind at the moment.

"I… I miss us fighting and you yelling at me that I'm an annoying little geek and me telling you that you're a jerk. Hell, I miss fighting with dad even… I just want to be brothers again, on an even level… like we used to be." He explained quietly.

"Sam," Dean started cautiously. He wasn't sure how his brother would take what he was about to say. "I still trust you with my life Sam." Dean smiled a bit when Sam looked at him with a surprised expression on his face.

_Bingo_ Dean thought when he realized he'd hit the nail on the head. "What, you think these past months have made me not trust you?" Dean asked.

"Well, I haven't really used my best judgment lately." Sam answered in self-blame.

Dean shook his head. "Why, because you went over to a friend's house and went on a walk?" Dean watched as tears slowly rolled down Sam's cheeks as he nodded. He sighed and reached a hand up to wipe them away. "Sammy, those are normal things to do… you didn't know, you couldn't have known that it would lead to this." Dean's tone was determined. "Sam, I would have been just as defenseless as you, same with dad, Bobby, Caleb, and Jim. It could have happened to any one of us…" Sam cut Dean off.

"But it didn't Dean, it happened to me because I wasn't paying attention and I let my guard down." He argued.

Dean counted silently to three trying to hold onto his temper. It deeply upset him that Sam blamed himself for what had happened. Sam was an innocent in all of this, just like the twins, an unfortunate victim of circumstance. It was just a matter of wrong time, wrong place and he wished his brother would realize that. "None of what's happened is your fault… none of it. Going to Laura's house and going on the walk, kid, those were just bad circumstances that had really shitty endings but it doesn't mean you asked for it. There's nothing you could have done to ask for what's happened Sam, nothing."

Sam shook his head.

"Sammy," He sighed. "If I was the one who had been attacked, would you say it was my fault even if it was only because I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time?" Dean asked hoping to use some reverse psychology on the kid.

Sam shook his head again. "No." He muttered.

"And why would that be?" Dean asked.

"Because… because there's no way you would have been able to predict it." Sam finally answered a couple minutes later. "I still feel like it's my fault."

Dean pulled Sam to him and held him against his chest. "Why?" He asked softly.

"Dad trained us to be able to fight the unknown Dean… I fought and I lost." Sam let out a small whimper and pressed himself close to his brother.

"Shh, you're okay, shh," Dean hushed. "Sammy…"

Sam cut Dean off. "I guess this is what I get." He said vaguely.

"Get for what?" Dean asked confused as he continued to try and comfort Sam a bit.

"I've always wanted to be normal… to make you and dad stop wanting to hunt, I guess I finally did it." He replied quietly. "Not that I'm really normal now… I don't think there are really any other pregnant teenage boys around."

Dean laid his head on top of Sam's curls. He hated it that Sam was right, that it had taken his little brother's world being turned upside down in order for them to put the guns down and focus on something other than revenge.

"You don't deserve what's happened Sam and I'm sorry it took you being hurt to make dad and I stop being so obsessed." Dean whispered guiltily.

Sam sniffled but didn't say anything further.

~DW/SW~

The next afternoon, Dean and Sam were busy helping Pastor Jim set the table when they heard a honk and looked up to see Bobby's silver pick-up truck heading their way.

Dean waved but shot his brother a nervous glance. Sam hadn't seen either Bobby or Caleb since before the rape and he wasn't sure how Sam would react to even more people in the house… yeah, a place of their own was starting to sound real good.

Wanting to give Sam a chance to collect himself in case he needed it, Dean set down the plates he was carrying and went to greet the two hunters. "Hey dude!" He smiled clapping Caleb on the back as he was pulled in for a hug.

"How is he?" Caleb whispered in Dean's ear.

Dean shook his head. "Just give him space 'kay, he needs it." He whispered back.

Caleb nodded and let go of Dean before walking over to the table that was in the process of being set for seven. "Sam, been a while dude… how ya doing?" Caleb asked keeping a little bit of distance from Sam, hoping the kid didn't feel trapped or whatever.

Sam shrugged, keeping his head down. "'M okay…" He answered as he continued to set knives and forks down around the table.

Caleb smiled even as an awkward silence fell around them, it was nice to see the kid again especially after being so worried the last two months since he'd seen Sam. Luckily, Dean came to the rescue and ushered everybody inside. "Ah, you guys are bunking down here so you can flip for who gets the couch." He said once they were in the living room.

Caleb eyed the plush sofa in Jim's living room.

Bobby looked at Caleb. "You really want to try and win that argument?" He asked.

Caleb smirked. "Yeah, I guess an old bag of bones like you needs as soft a landing as he can get, hunh?" He said causing Bobby to glare at him though there was really no heat in it at all.

Bobby huffed. "Let's see who the bag of bones is the next time I save your scrawny ass." He muttered.

"Yeah sure, whatever old man." Caleb retorted as the two continued their bickering.

~DW/SW~

The atmosphere during lunch was tense as Steven, Bobby, and Caleb hadn't come to the friendly truce that Jim, Dean, John, and even to a certain extent Sam had with the man and would occasionally shoot the man nervous, untrusting looks.

"Damn dad…" Dean smiled as he patted his stomach in a satisfied manner.

"Yeah Johnny, who knew you could do more than hit start on the microwave." Bobby teased, joining Dean in trying to make it a little less tense.

John laughed a little and pushed his plate away, silently observing his youngest who sat in his seat, his head down and just kind of playing with the food on his plate. He sighed sadly and stood, beginning to clear some of the dishes off the table as the rest of the group lingered outside talking and catching up with Sam and Steven staying more in the background.

~DW/SW~

"Hey dad," Dean said as he joined his dad on the front steps taking the beer that was offered to him.

"Where's Sam?" John asked, surprised that Dean's ever-present shadow wasn't there with them.

"Up in our room, listen, there's something I wanna talk to you about." Dean answered after he took a swig of his beer.

"''Bout what?" John asked a bit concerned. Dean's tone was serious and he knew that this probably had to do with Sam but as far as he was aware, there wasn't anything new to worry about.

"Don't you think, I don't know… it's getting a little crowded here?" Dean asked glancing back towards the front door.

"What, you mean since Bobby and Caleb arrived?" John asked confused as to whether or not his son had a problem with either one of the men. He didn't think that was very likely. "Dean, did something happen?"

"What? No, nothing happened Dad… I just think maybe we, maybe Sam could use a little time away from everybody… a place where he doesn't have to constantly be bombarded by people, that's all." Dean explained. He had noticed how tense and jumpy his brother was all throughout lunch and had subsequently spent the rest of the afternoon in his room, essentially making himself a prisoner. Dean didn't think that kind of behavior was going to be very beneficial when it came to Sam healing and knew his brother would only relax once the number of people he was forced to be around decreased.

John nodded. He had noticed how Sam only relaxed when there was the bare minimum number of people in the room and even then, he still looked guarded as if he was waiting for something bad to happen. "And how do you suggest we pay for this?" John asked.

"Get jobs." Dean answered simply. "When I was at the store earlier, I saw a sign saying that the local hardware place is hiring… I was thinking of applying."

"Dean, I don't think that job's going to pay very much and certainly not enough to buy a place." John argued.

"You could get a job too. And who said we had to buy, we could rent?" Dean suggested.

John nodded. "Maybe." He finally relented and Dean knew that was as good as he was going to get for the moment. He finished his beer and stood up, heading back inside hoping Sam would still be asleep.

* * *

Hey, so how was the chap? I hope it was alright and that Sam's progress isn't too quick. Thanks again for reading and I hope you'll send me a review. I promise, the next chapter won't take half as long to get up. Thanks again! :)


	12. Chapter 12

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter and I hope you guys like it. I think I may have gone a little bit overboard with the smoochp and sweetness in this chapter and I don't really have any excuse for it so let's just say that Sammy needed it. Also, Caleb is included a lot more in this chapter so I think some of you will be happy to see him back in the picture.

Anyways, thanks for waiting patiently for this and I will try to update ASAP. Thanks again for reading and I can't wait to hear from all of you! :)

* * *

Dean woke early the next morning and took a quick shower, trying to be as quiet as possible so as to not wake Sam. The kid had had a hard time falling asleep the night before and even after he finally had, it had been restless. Dean didn't want to take away from the few peaceful moments that he was getting these days, thinking screw the fact that it was a little after nine because honestly, it wasn't like the kid had anywhere he needed to be.

Wrapping a towel around his waist, Dean opened the bathroom door, a billow of steam following him out as he crossed the hall hearing the sounds of Bummer walking around downstairs in the kitchen. Dean quietly slipped into his and Sam's shared bedroom and over to his duffle bag on the floor by his bed. He still hadn't unpacked his duffle, used to living out of the canvas-bag whereas Sam had his clothes neatly piled and sorted in the dresser by his bed by the end of their first week at Jim's place.

Sparing his brother a quick glance, Dean sighed contentedly when he saw the gentle rise and fall of his brother's chest accompanied by the occasional snore letting him know that Sam was actually sleeping and not suffering for once which was a nice break from the night terrors he'd been getting for the last couple of weeks. As he continued to watch Sam, Dean noticed once again how Sam's face seemed fuller, his jaw line not so sharp and his cheeks a little pudgier. He realized that the kid had started to put on weight and would probably put on a lot more by the time he had the twins a little less than six months from now. _Shit_ Dean thought. _Has it only been three months?_ To Dean, and he was sure the rest of them felt this way too, it felt like they'd been stuck in this nightmarish situation for a lot, lot longer than three months.

Dean hadn't said anything about Sam's weight gain to anybody. He didn't want to draw attention to his brother's expanding waistline or upset him but he had noticed it increasingly more within the past week or so. Especially whenever it was just the two of them as Sam felt safe enough to wear just a t-shirt instead of hiding behind multiple layers making it possible for Dean to make out the start of his brother's rounded stomach. It was weird, really weird and yet fascinating in a disturbing kind of way to think that the reason why was because Sam had two living, breathing babies growing inside of him. While he no longer had the urge to run or barf whenever that thought crossed his mind, it was still not a pleasant topic or something he was thrilled about but giving Sam the shots, talking with Steven about Sam and the babies developments, and making sure Sam took his prenatal vitamins was starting to become just another, every-day thing he had to do and not some awkward challenge.

Dean was glad Sam was currently asleep as it gave him the chance to observe his brother without annoying the kid or being accused of hovering. He had to often remind himself not to stare at the unusual sight or let a small, brotherly joke about needing to exercise more slip out. It was strange to have to think about what he was going to say to Sam; worried something might accidentally set him off or he might accidentally hurt his brother's feelings… he missed the carefree banter but hoped that as time progressed, they would get back to some sense of normalcy.

Sighing, Dean shook himself out of his stupor and grabbed a pair of jeans that were hanging on the back of the desk chair, sniffing them to check for cleanliness. Deciding that they would do, he grabbed a gray t-shirt and a green button-up from his duffle bag as well. "I'll see you soon kid," He muttered as he started to walk towards the closed bedroom door. With his hand on the doorknob, he turned around and glanced at Sam again, a thought crossing his mind. Sighing again, he walked back to the desk by the window hoping that his idea would alleviate some of the worries he thought Sam might have when he woke and realized that Dean and the Impala were missing. Figuring that at least for the moment, he'd done all he could, Dean headed downstairs, his stomach rumbling as a rich smell permeated the air.

"Wow… I didn't expect to see you before ten… did you get dressed just for me?" Caleb smirked when Dean walked into the kitchen surprised to see Dean actually dressed in the morning for once and not just in a t-shirt and his sleeping pants.

"I've got a job interview." Dean explained as he took the kettle from Caleb and poured his own cup of steaming caffeine. He laughed a little at the look on Caleb's face; it was just as priceless as he thought it was going to be.

Caleb stared at Dean wide-eyed and tried hard not to choke on his English muffin. "I'm sorry… I thought I just heard Dean Winchester, the king of scams say he's got a job interview?" He sputtered.

Dean nodded. "No, your hearing's intact though I don't know how with all that crap you listen to…" He explained.

Caleb rolled his eyes at Dean's mention of his musical interest which included everything except hard metal rock. "Who the hell would hire you? What… you cleaning the stripper's pipes in town?"

Dean raised his hand, flipping Caleb off. "For your information, it's at the hardware store." He said before he realized that Caleb could also turn that into a dirty sentence. "Don't. Say. A. Word." Dean growled.

Caleb smiled and shrugged, raising his hands in self-defense. "But seriously, dude… that is so not right, you in a responsible, socially acceptable position… it's freaky." He teased.

"Yeah, we'll see whose laughing when the paychecks start coming in. Who knows, if you're nice, I might even treat you." Dean smirked.

"Really Dean, you'll take me out… oh, this is the best day of my life! No, no, no wait… I want a discount!" Caleb said sarcastically before he rolled his eyes. "We'll see how long you actually manage to last, I mean, you're going to have to do real work there, not just show up, hold up some fake card, and say you work there. Oh, and Dean…"

Dean paused from opening the front door. "Yeah?" He said trying not to give Caleb the satisfaction of knowing he was wearing on his nerves though Dean figured Caleb might have a clue. The guy was probably as close to a good friend as he got outside of his family and knew Caleb could read him fairly easily.

"Don't start off the day by flirting with anyone in a skirt, 'kay?" Caleb smiled, knowing his friend's habit of attracting attention.

He grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Unlike you, I don't have to pay a woman to sleep with me… there's actually a waiting list but I don't think you're going to be able to get on it." Dean laughed as Caleb stood there, his mouth slightly open at the thought that Dean had been able to come up with a comeback. "Bye…" He smiled and proceeded down the front steps.

~DW/SW~

Dean parked the Impala at the far end of the parking lot, not wanting any idiot to ding her up with plywood or something else and headed inside. "Hi…" Dean glanced at the woman's nametag. "Claire, I'm Dean Winchester and I've got an appointment with the manager… do you know where I can find him?" Dean asked as he flashed his most charming smile at her. She was after all, a potential co-worker.

"Oh, you're here for an interview?" She asked smiling back at the handsome stranger standing in front of her.

Dean nodded. "That's right."

"Just go to the back of the store and knock on the door that says manager, I think Tom's in there." She smiled as she blushed a little.

"'Kay, thanks a lot Claire. Hope to see you around more." He smiled one last time and then headed in the direction she'd pointed him in. Walking through the aisles of painting supplies and lighting fixtures, he made his way to the back of the store. Dean stopped in front of the old wooden door that said 'Manager' on it in peeling letters and knocked.

"It's open!" A man's deep, gruff voice called from inside the office.

Dean opened the door and walked into the tiny and cluttered office. "I'm Dean Winchester… I called the other day 'bout the interview." Dean introduced himself.

Tom nodded. "Take a seat."

~DW/SW~

Sam woke up slowly, glad that this time he got to linger in his sleep-induced coma instead of having _the_ monster chasing him into waking for once. He could feel the start of his memories coming back to him and he clenched his eyes shut, hoping he could force them back for now. Sam rolled over on to his side, casually noticing that Dean's side of the bed was empty and sighed, stretching a bit. _What time is it_? He wondered knowing that lately he had been sleeping in quite a bit and expected it to be close to mid-morning. Instead, when he glanced at the clock, he saw that it was only a little after eight. _What's he doing up this early?_ Sam asked himself knowing that it wasn't like his brother to be conscious before nine, even with at least two cups of strong coffee in him.

Unsure of what was going on downstairs or who was awake yet, he climbed out of bed and walked to the door, pressing his ear up against it. He could hear laughter and loud voices floating up the stairs but none of them belonged to his brother. _Where is he?_ Sam chewed on his lip worriedly and then walked to the window that overlooked the front of Jim's house and his driveway. _Hunh… the Impala's gone… did he leave me?_ Sam asked himself, his worry steadily increasing and tears began to prick his eyes. He didn't know how he was going to get through this if Dean had left… his big brother had been so supportive and willing to do some unconventional and uncomfortable things for him. Sam could hear his dad's booming voice and that helped to relax his worries a little but still, Dad wasn't Dean.

Suddenly he heard the stairs creak a little as someone climbed them so Sam quickly made his way back to his bed and hurried to bury himself underneath the covers. He lay down so that his back was to the door and shut his eyes as the door opened hoping that whoever it was would just go away. Sam internally cringed when he felt a hand on top of his head and then someone pulled the covers better over him, tucking him in a bit. A couple minutes later, he let out a relieved sigh when the hand receded even if the action was familiar and soothing. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes and slowly made their way down his cheeks, the faint feeling of fingers combing through his hair still lingering. He could remember being a small child and pretending to be asleep just so his dad could come and 'tuck him in' after he got home from a 'business trip' as Dean had called them. His dad would walk into their room, adjust the thin motel covers over him better and ruffle his hair a little. Sam sniffled and wiped a hand across his face trying to get used to seeing this sensitive side to his dad again and wondered just what had happened to the hardened widower.

Sam waited until he heard the door shut and his dad's heavy footsteps retreat before rolling over to lie on his back. He wiped his eyes again and turned his head to the side seeing the tin-foil covered plate on his nightstand. It smelled delicious and his stomach grumbled even as his mind conjured up some not-so-nice explanations for his impromptu breakfast-in-bed. _They don't want me down there with them… _he thought thinking back to the loud, and somewhat cheerful, voices he'd heard a few minutes before his dad had delivered Sam's breakfast. _I guess I can understand it. They're always so careful around me now… maybe they just wanted to have a normal breakfast for once_ Sam concluded as another thought hit him. _If Dean's not here, then who's going to give me my shot?_

~DW/SW~

John walked down the stairs feeling empty and a bit disheartened having hoped for a better reaction from Sam. He had known that Sam was awake but played along, not wanting to force his son to see him if he didn't want to, no matter how much it stung.

"He's still asleep?" Caleb asked walking over and taking the chair across from John at the kitchen table.

John nodded, but then shook his head no. "No, not really… I don't really think he wanted to see me." He explained.

"He knows you love him." Caleb said surprising John. He didn't think that the young man was that perceptive – or that sensitive.

John shook his head again. "He… he won't look at me or talk to me… I told him it's not his fault, why can't he see that?" John asked with sadness and desperation in his voice. "Why can't he see that I don't blame him for this? I'm his father for God's sake Caleb. He should know that I'm going to love him no matter what."

Caleb sighed. "He does know that you love him John, I mean this is Sam we're talking about… the kid couldn't, wouldn't hurt a fly let alone not love his own family but think about it… and I'm not saying you're wrong or were a bad parent but he's been trained his entire life to be on guard, to not let anyone get through his defenses, now that someone has… look, just… just give him time okay and whatever you do, just be there for him… be his father no matter how hard he tries to push you away." Caleb said, finishing his little speech.

~DW/SW~

"Oh hey Sam," Caleb said walking into the kitchen surprised to the young teen standing at the sink.

Sam took a breath trying to calm his racing heart. He hated how someone's sudden appearance could make him feel so small and vulnerable. _I'm weak but I'm not that weak_ Sam tried to tell himself. "Ah hey Caleb…" He drifted off continuing to do the dishes. He had figured that if nobody was going to go up there and ask him to join them, then he would just have to invite himself. _Yup, you're the life of the party scrubbing dishes_ Sam sighed and placed the bowl in the drying rack. "Have you um… do you ah… do you know where Dean is?" Sam asked hesitantly, keeping his back to Caleb.

Caleb stood by the window watching the way Sam's muscles clenched, even through the sweatshirt he was wearing. _Kid's gotta be sweating up a storm… it's like ninety degrees out_ Caleb thought. "Yeah, I saw him this morning. He said he had a job interview." Caleb explained.

Sam turned around again and stared at Caleb. "A job interview… what… what made him do that?" Sam asked sounding bewildered.

Caleb was quiet. "He wants to make sure he can take care of you and… and buy them everything they're gonna need." He said. Even though he'd given Dean a hard time about going for the job interview, he silently respected him for that. It was blatantly obvious to anyone who took even a second to watch Dean and Sam that Dean would do quite literally anything for his brother. Caleb had been watching that play out for the past nineteen years.

"He shouldn't have to though… I should be able to take care of myself." Sam said quietly.

"You can take care of yourself… nobody's saying you can't. It's just that babies are well, expensive, and I don't think a credit card or hustling pool is gonna cut it this time and Dean knows that so he's just making sure that we'll have a way to get everything, that's all." Caleb explained.

"I don't even know if I want to keep them… I don't get it." He sighed.

"Don't get what?" Caleb asked intrigued. He knew the kid had been keeping his lips sealed pretty tightly and was happy to see him talking a little. He remembered how silent Dean used to be and was glad that Sam apparently didn't react to trauma the same way his older brother did.

"How are all of you so okay with this?" Sam asked looking up at Caleb. "I mean, doesn't it freak you out? And what about the fact that I've pretty much made Dean and dad give up what they like to do? God… I'm such fucking, useless piece of shit 'round here." Sam complained, anger and hurt written across his face but Caleb could see that Sam also wanted him to tell him it wasn't true.

"Sammy, no," Caleb sighed. "No, you're not useless and I mean yeah sure, it's a little freaky but I think that most people would consider anything in any one of our lives freaky… we hunt demons for a living… freaky is normal."

Sam nodded. "Yeah maybe." He still sounded pretty down.

"I know you don't remember this but Sam... after the fire and your mom died, you were the one that kept Dean and your dad going, but especially Dean." He said making Sam look at him with a confused face. "Dean didn't do much, he didn't speak or take care of himself at all, not that that was really all that surprising but you know what he did do?" Caleb asked.

Sam shook his head, tears gathering in his eyes.

"He took care of you. You were pretty much the only person he responded to, at least in the beginning. When you cried… he'd react so fast and way more competently than any four year old should but he fed you when you were hungry, rocked you when you cried, changed you, rather messily, when you needed your diaper changed…" Caleb explained seeing the tears start to form in Sam's eyes. He also spotted Dean standing in the entry way to the living room and signaled silently for him to stay back. "Sure, I was the one who was able to get him to eat and do that kind of crap but that was more like forcing stuff down his throat whereas when he was with you… it was like he wanted to do it, he was doing something he enjoyed."

"It was a sacrifice though… he was four years old, he shouldn't have had to change my diaper or do any of that." Sam argued.

"Yeah but it wasn't to him. Sam, he wouldn't let anyone else do it including your dad and on the off occasion that someone else did rock or feed you or change you, he was standing right next to them the entire time glaring until they handed you back." Caleb smiled sadly at the memory of a little four year old who didn't speak but let everybody know that Sammy was 'his' baby to take care of.

"It's not a sacrifice if you're doing it for someone you love." Dean said walking over from his hiding spot in the hall and joining the emotional conversation.

Sam turned around and wiped his eyes on his sleeve.

Dean walked over and kneeled in front of Sam. "You're not a burden Sam..." Dean bit his lip and turned his head away as tears filled his eyes. Slowly, he turned back around to face Sam and smiled up at him. "You were the last birthday gift mom ever gave me." He said before the tears started to trickle down his cheeks.

Sam stared at his brother in shock. Dean never talked about their mom, never! It was just something that didn't happen, ever! And to hear him talk about her and see Dean begin to cry, openly, when usually he would have raced out to the Impala and driven away until his wall came back up made Sam lose it. His face twisted and before he knew it, he had his face buried in Dean's shoulder, harsh sobs racking his body.

Dean sniffled and wrapped his arms tight around his brother's middle. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me kid, don't ever think you're not worth enough to me, you got that?" Dean asked his voice rough as he tried to get a better handle on his emotions.

Sam nodded and closed his eyes, letting Caleb's and his brother's words reassure him that he was a needed part of this family and not just some obligation they were forced into.

~DW/SW~

Sam lay in the bed with his head on Dean's chest as he tried to fall asleep. Sam's nightmares were a nightly occurrence now and the only thing that could calm him down afterward was the security he felt of having Dean's arms wrapped around him so the two of them had taken to sharing a bed. It was their secret though. Sam was scared that their dad and the others would be mad at his weakness, no matter what Dean told him, so he had made Dean promise not to mention his lack of sleep to anybody.

Sam shifted and slipped one of his hands underneath his head. "Dean?" Sam asked.

"Yeah?" Dean responded quietly.

"So um… how ah, how did the interview go?" Sam asked hesitantly.

Dean sat up a little, a confused look on his face. "You know about that?" Dean asked. He had simply said he was going out in his note, not the details of it.

"Ah yeah, why… was I not supposed to?" Sam questioned nervously.

"What no, no… I just didn't think you knew that's all." Dean answered. "Caleb told you, didn't he?"

Sam nodded. "I got worried." He said meekly.

"Worried, why?" Dean asked surprised. He'd thought his note would have been enough to reassure his brother.

"I woke up and you weren't here and the Impala was gone so I just kind of thought you'd um… you'd taken off." Sam explained.

Dean sighed and tightened his grip on his brother. "Have I ever left you behind… ever? Just vanished without telling you where I was going or when I would be back?" He asked.

Sam shook his head. "Sorry." He muttered.

"It's okay… just don't go giving up on your navigator job yet, okay?" Dean smirked, giving his brother a little squeeze.

"If you say so…" Sam drifted off and there was a small semblance of companionable silence between the two. "Hey Dean?" Sam asked.

Dean internally groaned. "Yes Sam." He said, forcing as much patience into his voice as possible.

"How could I be a birthday present to you when I was born five months after your birthday?" He asked curiously.

Dean groaned and rolled over onto his back. He didn't know what had happened to reduce him to have such an incredibly large and sappy chick-flick moment with his brother earlier and now, this was the repercussions from it, he guessed. "I kept asking mom and dad for a puppy or a little brother. I told them I would let them choose so long as I got one of those two things so when mom told me that I was getting a little brother, I asked if ah… god, you're gonna kill me for this…" He groaned again.

"What… what did you do?" Sam asked with a small smile on his face as he lay on his side like Steven had instructed him to do and looked over at his big brother.

Dean was glad the room was dark and Sam couldn't see how badly he was blushing. "I ah… I asked mom if I could go pick him, er you, out on my birthday." Dean heard Sam laugh and lightly swatted his brother on the arm. "I was four, leave me alone!" He pouted.

"Okay… okay, sorry I laughed… continue please?" Sam practically begged, flashing his well-known puppy eyes at his big brother even though he was fairly certain Dean wasn't able to see them.

"I thought it was like when you go to the pet store or some shitty place like that and get a puppy… you pick out the one you want and then you get to take that one home… I didn't know bratty little brothers were any different." He huffed. "Anyways," He sighed a couple minutes later. "Mom told me that you weren't going to be ready on my birthday, that I was going to have to wait just a little longer and then I'd get to take you home. So for the next couple of months I walked around telling people that my birthday present hadn't come yet and was still being 'made'… god, this so embarrassing Sam… I swear, you tell that story to anyone and I'll kick your ass, little brother!" He mock-threatened.

"My lips are sealed Dean, I promise nobody will ever know about you thinking babies came from the same place as puppies." Sam teased letting out another little laugh.

Dean shook his head and huffed.

"Wait… so what about the interview, how'd it go?" Sam asked causing Dean to let out a weary sigh.

"Let's put it this way, I start Monday." He said. "Now, bedtime."

Sam nodded and settled down against his big brother wondering how he was going to spend the day if Dean was going to be at work.

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Hey! So how was that? I hope the chapter was enjoyable and that you'll let me know what you thought of it. Thanks again for reading and I'll try to update soon. :)


	13. Chapter 13

Hey guys!

Here's the next chapter and I consider it to be a bit of a big one, at least from Sammy's point of view. I hope you like it and that you'll leave me a note letting me know your thoughts. Remember, good, bad, okay... I'll take all of it. Also, I'm trying to come up with names for the twins but I haven't decided if they are both going to be girls, boys, or one of each so could you guys please give me your favorite baby names?

Thanks again for reading! And reviewing, both are very much appreciated! I look forward to hearing what you thought of the chapter... enjoy! :)

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A week had passed since Dean had started his job as a cashier at the local hardware store and so far things seemed to be going okay. It wasn't like he was making the big bucks there but it was something and for once, they didn't have to worry about the cops or the local townspeople putting a sudden end to their cash-flow. The orange vest he had to wear was insanely dorky and something Sam never thought he'd ever see his leather-loving brother in but none-the-less Dean seemed to be enjoying himself and would often tell them some little story about what had happened during dinner bringing a new kind of atmosphere to the house which often reminded Sam of the Cleavers in a strange sort of way.

_I'm glad he likes it there_ Sam thought as he watched the Impala pull out of the driveway but also wishing that Dean could come home sooner than five in the evening, it was hard going ten hours without his brother even if Dean called him on his breaks to check in. _He's doing this for me… for us_ Sam thought as he glanced down and placed a hand on the underside of his belly feeling how much his stomach had changed from being muscular and sculpted from all of his dad's training sessions to being fleshy and softer and most definitely rounder. It was quickly growing hard to hide his belly behind extra t-shirts and sweatshirts, especially since it was almost the beginning of August which was part of the reason why he barely left his room.

He was grateful that no one had commented on his weight gain and yet at the same time, he just wanted to get it over with. Have someone look at him and say, "wow Sam…" and then there would be awkward silence and he wouldn't have to wonder if his family had realized it yet. _Of course they've realized how big you are, they're not dumb or blind! _Sam thought. He found himself thanking God for whoever created stretchable sweat pants since he'd recently grown too big to wear any of the pairs of jeans he owned. It had been incredibly depressing when he'd gone to get dressed last week and hadn't been able to pull his jeans up, even Dean's jeans didn't fit him anymore. His brother had offered to go into town and buy him new clothes but Sam had declined saying that he could make do with what he had. Of course, Dean hadn't bought that and the next morning when Sam woke up, he found that the jeans in his top drawer had all been replaced with sweatpants and basketball shorts, all with elastic waistbands.

Sam blew out a breath as he sat on his bed, his back against the pillows and his hands resting on his bump. He twiddled his thumbs together and sighed, looking around the room feeling extremely bored. _What to do… what to do_ Sam thought as he shifted positions slightly. Glancing at the bedside clock, he saw that it was only a little after nine thirty. _There is no way I can be up here for eight more hours_ Sam thought groaning wishing he had a TV up there or a book to read… something to distract him from his now old and bored routine of simply waiting for Dean to get home. _I gotta get out of here_ Sam resigned pushing himself to his feet and climbing off the bed tired of his self-imposed isolation.

Sam paused in the hallway looking between the staircase and the door to the room he had just vacated. He could hear the TV on downstairs and knew that there were probably at least two people down there. Sam was slowly venturing out of his room more often these days but his trips downstairs were still usually pretty short, especially if someone tried to engage him in a conversation. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to his dad or Caleb or Jim or Bobby but interacting with other people now made him squirmy and he would much rather freak out about it on his own without any witnesses present than break down in front of his family again. They'd seen enough of his tears to last a good long while.

Bobby and Caleb were continuing to stay at Jim's house with the rest of them and Sam really didn't have any clue when they were going to leave though it seemed like Bobby had been _distracted_ the last couple of days, leaving anytime his phone rang. He would usually return a good half hour later, his face drawn and then his dad and Caleb would often go outside to talk with the man in hushed tones about something that Sam was certain his family didn't want him to know about. At the same time though, he instinctually knew that it had to do with him and the babies he was carrying. Sam had asked Dean about it the other night but Dean had just shrugged and said that it wasn't anything to worry about it and if it was, he wouldn't keep it from him.

Sam heaved a deep sigh and then walked the couple of feet to the staircase. Steeling himself, he held onto the banister as if it were his only lifeline as he slowly made his way downstairs pausing just before he reached the last couple steps.

~DW/SW~

John and Caleb had heard Sam walking around upstairs for the last while, it had sounded like he was pacing and were wondering when or if the kid would join them today. They heard the stairs creak and then it all stopped just as suddenly as it had started. John sent Caleb a knowing look and they both pretended not to notice the teenager hovering on the stairs hoping that if they didn't make a spectacle of it, he might be more inclined to take the final step into Jim's living room.

~DW/SW~

Sam could feel his hands sweating and he gripped the wooden banister harder, as if it was some sort of safety net. His feet seemed glued to the carpet unwilling to move no matter what his brain was telling him. _You can do it, it's just a room and… and it's just dad and Caleb… you can do it_ Sam thought giving himself a little pep-talk. He quickly let go of the banister, afraid that if he held on for a moment longer, he'd lose his newfound bravery and shoved his hands deep into his sweatshirt pockets clenching them into fists. Dropping his head and avoiding everyone's gaze, Sam shuffled out into the living room. Without stopping to say 'good morning' or 'hi' to either his dad or Caleb, Sam headed straight for the large recliner in the corner of the room and curled up in it focusing solely on the crap TV show Caleb was watching.

John watched Sam walk past him, his eyes focused on his son's middle. _Jesus Christ!_ John swore as he took in his son's weight gain. Even though Sam was wearing a sweatshirt, he could see that Sam's sweatpants were resting low on his hips allowing the curve of his stomach to show a bit and to say it was a shock to see would be the understatement of the year. It wasn't that he hadn't thought Sam was going to gain weight, he had known he would but to see the proof that he actually had gained weight and now had an official 'baby bump' was startling to him. Having too many thoughts racing in his head, thinking about what his kid must be going through to just how in the hell was Sam going to raise two little people provided that they actually were human John sighed and suddenly felt extremely tired.

Bobby and Caleb were still working on the case and so far, the hunt was slow going for whoever was the mastermind behind all of this. John was itching to get his hands on the bastard and show him just what happened to sick freaks, supernatural or not, who thought it was okay to mess with his family. There would be bloodshed, of that John was sure.

Shaking his head, he smiled sadly as he watched his son, just glad to have him downstairs for once and continued looking through the classified section of the newspaper he'd grabbed when he'd gone to get breakfast that morning.

The three of them had been sitting watching TV for about an hour when John noticed Sam looking around with wide eyes, a confused expression on his face and his hand resting unsurely against his stomach. "Sam, you okay?" He asked concerned but trying hard not to stare, no matter how strange of a sight it was.

"I um… yeah, yeah… I'm fine…" Sam answered quickly before he got up out of his chair and was hurrying up the stairs before John or Caleb could say another word.

~DW/SW~

Sam rushed into his room, closing and locking the door behind him. _What… what was that_ He thought as he peeled his shirt up again for the second time that day. He cautiously placed his hand back where it had been, down on the lower part of his abdomen more towards his belly button. He bit his lip in anticipation and waited. A moment passed and nothing happened but right before Sam was about to drop his hand, he felt it again… a tiny little flutter that couldn't have been more than a feather-light feeling but Sam instantly knew what it was. He'd just felt one of the babies move for the first time and he stared at the spot where his hand rested on his stomach in complete awe. _Oh… oh my god_ Sam thought as he made his way back to his bed, unsure of what he should do. _Do I talk to them? What… what happens now?_ Sam sat on the bed, questions running through his head and tears rapidly filling his eyes before he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. Nervously, he reached forward and very carefully picked the book up off of Dean's nightstand hoping it would give him some answers.

~DW/SW~

Dean walked through the front door, glad it was a Friday and that he had the weekend to relax before he had to go back on Monday. He was sure Sam would like having him home for the weekend. He knew that even though Sam acted okay with him leaving every morning to go to work, the kid didn't like being home all day without him there so he made it a point to call his brother whenever he could to reassure Sam that he was thinking about him and they'd be able to hang out later that night. _Maybe we'll go see a movie or something_ Dean thought thinking some brotherly time together doing something other than crying would be good. "I'm home!" He called tossing his keys onto the counter.

"Oh hey, how was your day?" John asked as he stood by the counter finishing off a beer watching as Jim finished dinner.

"Fine, glad it's the weekend." Dean answered, accepting the beer his dad passed to him. "Where's Sammy?" He asked looking around the medium sized room.

John nodded towards the stairs.

"Has he been up there all day?" Dean asked sighing. He'd been happy the other day when he'd come home to find Sam curled up on the couch watching TV with Caleb.

"No, he came down for a while earlier but you know…" Dean nodded in understanding.

"I'll go see him." Dean replied before he headed up the stairs stopping outside glad when he didn't hear any crying coming from inside. That was always a good sign. "Hey Sammy, I'm home." He said knocking on the door before opening it. He was quite shocked to see Sam sitting on his bed reading the pregnancy book he had finished the night before. His brother looked how he normally did when reading something that he was geekly obsessed with, completely and utterly focused on the page in front of him. He smiled a little, glad to see that Sam was interested enough to pick up the book. "Hey," He said toeing off his boots and kicking them away. He slipped out of his work uniform and threw it into the hamper in the corner.

Sam put the book down and looked at his brother. "Have a good day at work?" He asked striving for a normal conversation for once.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, glad to be home though… ugh, I am so sleeping in tomorrow." He groaned flopping back on the bed holding his beer on his stomach. "So how was your day?" Dean asked trying to figure out if any progress had been made in his absence.

Sam shrugged. "Nothin' too unusual." He answered suddenly a lot quieter.

"Yeah, that's good… you do much?" Dean asked rolling over to lie on his stomach.

"No, just kind of hung out." He said as his stomach rumbled making Dean quirk an eyebrow at him.

"You eaten at all today?" Dean asked sitting up now and draining the last of his beer.

"Yeah… I had some pasta for lunch." Sam answered as he picked at a thread on his covers.

Dean nodded, sitting and watching his brother for a moment before he leaned over and gently swatted Sam's foot. "I think dinner's ready so let's go." He said refusing to let Sam eat alone again.

Sam nodded. "'Kay." He said as he slowly pushed himself up. Ever since he had started to get bigger, his balance had been a little off and the last thing he needed was to face plant in front of his overly concerned brother.

~DW/SW~

Later that night, Sam was curled up next to Dean, his back to his brother's chest. Dean had one arm thrown over Sam holding him close and was snoring quite heavily. Sam on the other hand was wide awake, one arm tucked underneath his head and his other hand rested on the lower part of his abdomen. The same place he'd felt one of the babies movie earlier. He wasn't exactly sure why but he wanted, really wanted to feel it again and was kind of sad when nothing happened. He sighed and snuggled more next to his brother keeping his hand on his stomach. _Night you two_ he thought swallowing down the lump in his throat.

~DW/SW~

Early the next morning, Sam and Steven waited for Dean to come back from getting breakfast before starting his appointment. Once Dean was home and Sam had eaten his jelly donut with mustard Sam stepped onto the scale, nervous at what number it would land at. He bit his lip and waited sighing when it read that he now weighed one hundred and thirty eight pounds. _No… no… please, I don't wanna get big_ Sam thought as he stared at his feet, blushing self-consciously.

Steven wrote the new number down in Sam's file which they were keeping just in case a trip to the emergency room was ever needed. Though, they were all hoping that Steven would be able to tend to Sam at home so that there would be no questions about why or how a teenage boy was able to successfully carry around two babies. Thankfully, no emergency health scares had cropped up recently and everyone was hoping that it would stay that way.

Sam stepped off of the scale and walked back to his bed sitting down on it with his back against the headboard.

"How'd you sleep last night?" Steven asked sitting in the swivel desk chair he'd brought over beside the bed.

Sam glanced at his brother who was sitting beside him on the bed so that their knees were touching. All of Sam's appointments, unless an emergency check-up, were done on the weekends that way Dean could attend too. Sam had asked his brother to be there for them, not wanting to receive any piece of news alone and Dean had kept that promise so far. He shrugged. "Okay, I guess." He answered leaving out the part about his nightmares which were still occurring pretty frequently.

"Good, it's important that you get enough sleep." Steven nodded. "But I think pretty soon you may need to start placing a pillow under your stomach and as I've said before, it's best for you to stay off your stomach."

"I can't sleep on my stomach anymore." Sam interrupted. "It's not comfortable."

Steven nodded again. "That's alright Sam, just do whatever feels right but as I was saying, you could use pillows or if you wanted Sam, there's a store in town that specializes in pregnancy equipment so I could always order up a pregnancy pillow for you and have Dean pick it up."

"I'm okay for now." Sam replied staring at his hands.

"I'm not saying this to embarrass you Sam, I only want to keep you as comfortable as possible, that's all." The doctor reassured.

"I know… what's next?" Sam asked wanting to move away from the fact that he was starting to get so big.

"How about your chest, how does it feel these days?" Steven asked. The more visits he did with Sam, the more comfortable he got asking the teen very personal questions and soon, it was like Sam was any other patient of his. Plus, Dean and John had stopped glaring daggers at him every chance they got. Not having an unspoken death threat hanging over his head was nice and made it much easier to actually do his job.

Sam blushed a deep red color. "They're fine." He grumbled out.

Dean hid his smirk as he turned his face away only to find Sam glaring at him when he turned back. "What?" He asked holding out his hands, palms up in an innocent gesture.

Sam just continued to glare and shook his head.

Wanting to break up any fights before they started, Steven surged ahead. "So, let's see how everybody's doing shall we?" Steven asked as he stood from his chair, a friendly smile on his face as he walked over to the sonogram machine Caleb and Bobby had been able to hi-jack from a local hospital.

"Yeah," Sam agreed. He knew the routine now and sat up more in his bed, pulling his t-shirt up exposing his abdomen. Even though he was still nervous about being even partially naked in front of anyone, he knew there was no way around it and had accepted that he unfortunately was just going to have to put up with it. Luckily, it was only once every two weeks that it happened. He was beyond relieved that Steven had stopped making him wear a gown during the exams… a t-shirt worked just as well, thank you very much. And now, he didn't risk the chance of giving his brother a very, very unpleasant scenery to look at.

"You know you should start feeling them move soon Sam." Steven said as he moved his hands around, feeling Sam's stomach.

"I um… I think I might have felt one of them move the other day." He answered softly, trying hard not to show that he was actually really kind of excited about it.

"Really, that's great Sam." Steven congratulated. He always tried to refer to the twins in an upbeat manner hoping that his optimism would catch on with the young teen.

Dean stared at his brother in wonder. _They're moving… and he can feel them… man, that's gotta be strange_ Dean thought, all the while realizing that the babies movements were right on track. Sam was now around four months along and the book had said that that was when the 'mother' should start to feel 'butterfly' like sensations. He had to admit, he was a bit surprised that Sam wasn't clamming up more because of that newest development and actually looked the slightest bit relieved. _Kid's coming around, I guess._

Sam nodded and let a fraction of a smile out onto his face, letting the doctor's happiness soak in a little bit. He lay back against the pillows, shivering unconsciously as he knew the gel was going to be cold. Sam was right, the gel was freezing beyond reason and he nudged Dean's hand with his, relieved when his brother wrapped a firm hand around his slightly trembling one.

This was always in a way, the hardest part of the exam for Sam when he would see what was actually inside of him and hear their heartbeats. It was surreal and always left him feeling a bit unsure of what was going to happen next. Having Dean to hold on to during these uncertain moments was a lifesaver.

Steven concluded that the twins looked healthy, right on track size wise and their heartbeats sounded strong. Dean had asked him if it was too early to tell what sex they were yet and Steven had said that if they didn't find out today, they should be able to tell at the next appointment. He had checked but unfortunately, it looked like the twins were a bit shy. Both Steven and Dean noticed that Sam appeared to be a bit disappointed at that.

~DW/SW~

Sam watched as Dean grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge and then walked over to the wicker basket by the backdoor where they kept their shoes. "Where ya going?" He asked.

Dean looked up, pausing from tying his shoes. "Ah… I was gonna go for a run." He answered.

"Oh." Sam said quietly looking down at the floor. _Maybe I should go with him… I haven't really done anything that the list says I should be doing_ Sam thought, contemplating for a few minutes.

"You wanna come?" Dean asked, wondering if today would be the day when he would finally get his brother out of the house. Since Sam's latest appointment with Steven about three days ago, Dean had noticed that Sam had been eating more and he'd finished the book in no time flat. He'd also caught Sam walking around the house a couple of times with a hand on his stomach and a faint smile on his face. His dimples weren't back yet but Dean would gladly take what he could get.

Sam looked at his brother. "It's ah… it's okay if I go?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, I could use the company… we don't get to spend much time together anymore." Dean replied smiling a bit.

Sam nodded. _I know_ he thought. "Okay… just let me go get my shoes… I'll be right back."

Dean nodded back. "Sure, I'll wait here." Dean said leaning back against the counter and taking a swig of his water bottle. It was damn hot out today.

Sam returned a couple of minutes later having changed into a pair of navy blue track pants, a t-shirt and a jacket and his sneakers.

Dean sighed knowing his brother was going to burn up running in the jacket. "Sammy, leave the jacket here." He ordered.

"Why? I might need it." Sam answered quickly.

"It's like eighty degrees out kid, trust me, you're not gonna need a jacket." Dean argued.

"I need it." Sam repeated, a bit of desperation in his voice.

"Why?" Dean asked being just as stubborn.

"I don't… I don't want you to see and what if there's somebody else out there." Sam answered looking at the hardwood floor.

_I've already seen kid _Dean thought. He walked over to his brother and tilted his chin up. "I've already seen you without a shirt on before… and it's nothing to be ashamed of." Dean reassured. "Second, who else is gonna see it? We're on Jim's property… private property Sam, there isn't anybody else but us around, I promise."

Sam stood there for a moment and Dean thought he heard his brother sniffle at least once before Sam sighed and slowly unzipped his jacket slipping it off and hanging it on the back of a nearby chair. He had to admit, it was a lot less stifling hot out without the jacket.

"Here." Dean said handing his brother a water bottle.

"Thanks." Sam mumbled not meeting his brother's gaze fully aware of how the shirt stretched over his belly.

"Don't worry about it, now, let's go." Dean said leading the way out of Jim's house and into the surrounding woods. He knew this was going to be hard for Sam and could potentially be a bad idea as Sam had been on a walk when he'd been raped. _If he avoids it, he'll never to learn to feel like he's safe here again _Dean argued. He chose to go the opposite way his brother had two months back, hoping that maybe going a different route would ease the kid's nerves a bit. Either way though, Dean stayed close to his brother knowing Sam couldn't run as fast as he could because of the extra weight he was carrying around and he didn't want Sam to feel alone out there.

Sam felt shaky and constantly looked around at the trees as his brother and he hiked through the woods. _Oh god… why am I going back here? I don't want to be here… maybe I should just tell Dean that exercise isn't _that_ high of a priority? But I need to exercise; bad things could happen if I don't_ Sam thought. _I can't do it… I'm sorry but I can't. _"Dean… I think I'm just gonna head back 'kay?" Sam said pausing in his steps and turning back towards the house. He looked out at the shady path he and Dean had just walked and wrapped his arms around himself. _I don't want to go through there… not alone_ he thought as he glanced back towards his brother.

"Why?" Dean asked pausing to sit down on a tree stump. "It's nice out." Okay, so he really wished Jim had a pool but it was cool in the shade.

Sam shrugged and stared at the dirt floor. Knowing that at one point, someone had been in these woods watching him without him being aware of it and the fear that it could happen again made Sam feel very anxious and quite vulnerable. He turned his back to completely face his brother. "Dean… please?" He begged.

Dean sighed and stood walking over to where his brother was. "Nothing's gonna happen okay? It's just you and me on a walk… you're perfectly safe here little brother, I promise."

Sam bit his lip and looked back and forth at the path that was in front of him. "It all looks the same." Sam whispered in a shaky voice several minutes later. "It looks the same." As he looked around the woods, he could imagine himself sitting on the log with Bummer next to him and then the man came… Sam brought his hand to cover his mouth as a sob erupted from him.

"You're okay." Dean murmured wrapping his arm around his brother's shoulders. He led him over to a good sized tree stump and sat them both down.

Sam hiccupped and leaned into his brother letting the simple fact that he wasn't out there alone this time make him feel a tad bit safer.

"Shh," Dean cooed softly. "So tell me, you come up with any names yet?" He asked trying to distract his brother.

Sam shook his head.

"Well, you better… I mean, I know it seems like it's a while but we actually don't have that much longer till they come, ya know?" He said. _Okay, so we've got five and a half months but oh well…_ he thought.

Sam nodded. "I know." He was quiet. "How long are we gonna live here?" Sam asked. "I mean, I don't think Jim's gonna want two babies running around his church."

Dean looked at his brother like he was crazy. "Are you kidding? You know Jim adores you and I'm pretty sure he's gonna feel the same way about those two once they get here too."

"How do you think Dad'll be? You think he'll want to be a grandpa?" He asked.

After a moment, Dean nodded. "Yeah… I think he will actually. I mean, I don't think he ever in a million years pictured it happening this way but yeah, I think a part of him is looking forward to it. What about you?" Dean asked turning his head to look at his brother.

Sam shrugged. "I don't know… I mean, er well… I don't know." He sighed. He wasn't sure how he felt these days. He was nervous, anxious, worried, scared but lately whenever he felt that little kick or punch, he'd get a little happy too. He felt like that was their way of communicating and he wasn't completely alone on this journey. Sam knew he had his family behind him and that helped a lot, it really did, but feeling the babies motions inside him helped to remind him that there were two other people whose lives had been altered because of the events of the past several months and maybe, just maybe at the end of this, he could take something good away from all of it.

Dean nodded and let the subject drop.

~DW/SW~

They sat in silence for a while listening to the birds chirp and watching the squirrels scurry about. Sam flinched on occasion when there was an unexpected noise behind them but Dean knew that was to be expected. It was Sam's first time back in the woods since that fateful day; he would have been surprised if Sam hadn't been nervous.

Dean gently rubbed a hand along Sam's side. He knew his brother was starting to feel stretched. Steven had suggested some Coco Butter to help with that along with the stretch marks Sam was starting to get.

"I can't believe how real they look." Sam said quietly.

"You mean on the ultrasound?" Dean asked.

Sam nodded causing Dean laughed a little. "Yeah… what did you think they were going to look like?"

"I don't know… I kind of expected them to look like some weird alien thing but they have arms and legs and heads and little bodies… and it's like they're little people." He said sniffling.

Dean gave Sam's shoulder a little squeeze.

"Dean?" Sam asked after a couple minutes had passed.

"Yeah?" Dean replied.

"Is it… is it bad that I wanted to know what they were?" He asked biting his lip, waiting for his brother's answer.

Dean sighed and shook his head no. "I don't think so Sammy, I mean, I'm kind of curious too actually." He answered.

"You are?" Sam asked sounding surprised.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, I mean… they're the next generation, it'd be nice to know just what kind of rug-rats we're gonna be dealing with." He smiled when Sam actually let out a little laugh.

"Yeah, I guess so." Sam replied.

"C'mon, you ready to head back?" He asked several minutes later, glad that he and Sam got to spend some time together even if there were a few tears spent along the way.

Sam nodded and with Dean's help, he pushed himself up.

They were headed back when Dean noticed Sam stop and place his hand on his stomach.

"They moved." Sam explained.

Dean nodded, having already guessed that. "Does it feel weird?" He asked curiously.

Sam shook his head. "I mean, well yes and no, I guess." He answered rubbing his stomach a little. "I don't know how to describe it… it doesn't feel wrong but it's not normal either…"

Dean nodded as they started to head back again. He didn't totally understand when the switch had flipped but he was glad that there wasn't so much resentment towards the twins now. He knew Caleb and Bobby were working on tracking down more clues about the competition and he hoped Sam's new attitude would stay even when they broke the news to him.

They walked back the rest of the way side by side, a small sense of their old relationship surfacing when Dean cracked some stupid joke and Sam shoved him away, a smile on his face. They had just rounded the corner of Jim's house when both were stopped in their tracks, Sam's face going pale as they overheard Caleb's angry voice shouting into the phone.

* * *

Hey! So how was that? I hoped all of you liked it and that you'll leave me a review... they inspire me to write more and quicker! Thanks so much for reading! I'm going to update my other story first and then I'll do this one but I'll try my best to make it quick. Thanks again! :)


	14. Chapter 14

Wow, it has been forever since I updated this story and I am truly sorry, please forgive me... I don't have any excuse except for I wasn't sure how much I wanted to reveal in this chapter. As it turns out, a lot! Which is good for you guys.

I hope you guys are still sticking with me and that you will enjoy the chapter! I'd love to hear from you and what you thought of it so please feel free to let me know, I always enjoy and appreciate your reviews! If you think this chapter is confusing, please, please tell me... it's not supposed to be but I'm not sure I worded certain parts of it right so I'll try to clear up any issues there are.

Okay, enough of me talking... enjoy! :)

* * *

"… Please tell me you're lying..." They heard Caleb say in an angry and desperate sounding voice. "Fuck!" He yelled kicking a planter box and turning it over. This special order hunt was just getting worse and worse by the day and he seriously did not want to know what would have happened if they had all been oblivious to the fact that demons did indeed exist. "What else did that demonic freak say other than that Sam's only a part of the prize?"

_Shit!_ Dean thought as he realized who Caleb was on the phone with. "Hey Sam, let's go inside okay." Dean said trying to steer his brother inside and somewhere where he couldn't hear Caleb's conversation. This was so not how he wanted Sam to find out about what they'd uncovered so far. All Sam knew at the moment was that Bobby and Caleb were on a hunt, he didn't know that they had actually uncovered a dark and sinister plan.

Sam shook his head as his stubborn streak made a rare appearance and he stood his ground. "No, what is he talking about Dean? I'm a prize?" He shook his head, utterly confused. _A damaged prize _his traumatized psyche reminded him.

"Sam," Dean started hoping Caleb would hear them and shut the fuck up ASAP. He had half the mind to tackle Caleb right this freaking moment just to prevent any other damaging sentences from leaving the young hunter's mouth. Dean turned back to watch as Caleb ran a hand through his hair and groaned.

"Where are you?" Caleb asked and Dean saw him grab his car keys out of his pocket and wondered where he was leaving to in such a rush. "Make sure the bastard's still breathing. I'll be there in twenty." Caleb slammed his phone shut and then stormed off in the direction of his Ford Bronco never having noticed Sam or Dean or the worried looks on either Winchester's face.

"Inside now." Dean ordered hoping that maybe if he sounded enough like their father, Sam just might obey him.

Sam interrupted Dean. "No, tell me!" When he saw his brother bite his lip and turn his head away, Sam continued. "Dean… I deserve to know what the hell is going on here! Please?" He begged as his voice softened a bit and his gaze dropped to study his feet. "Please?" It was his fears of a second attack and what might happen next that was causing him to snap and be on edge. A small part of him felt like maybe he didn't deserve to know what was going on and that was why Dean was having such a hard time looking at him right now, Dean had probably figured out that Sam was incapable of being able to handle whatever it was that was going on. _Give me a chance please Dean, just give me one more chance_ he silently pleaded.

Dean sighed and hung his head after he saw the doubt flash across his brother's face and he realized that this was an argument that he couldn't afford to win. With the way Sam's thought process had been lately, he could only imagine the reasons his brother was coming up with to explain his family's strange and secretive behavior as of late.

"Okay Sammy, okay… I'll tell you but let's go inside first alright?" He suggested wondering just how he was going to explain it all to Sam and what his brother's reaction would be. The kid had just started to accept the twins… he wasn't so sure Sam would still feel okay about them after their conversation. He knew what he had to say was going to be hard to swallow.

Sam nodded as he bit his lip. He suddenly felt hesitant about wanting to know what it was that had Caleb so angry and his dad and brother keeping secrets from him. His dad never, ever hid or sugarcoated things no matter how gruesome they were and it left him feeling nervous at what was possibly so wrong that they had kept it from him. Sighing nervously, Sam followed his brother up the front steps and into the house wondering what he had gotten himself into just now.

"C'mon, let's go into our room okay." Dean said quietly and distractedly as he walked up the stairs, ignoring the 'hello' that Pastor Jim threw their way.

~DW/SW~

Dean sat criss-cross on his brother's bed, facing Sam. "So… you really want to know what's going on?" He asked, chewing worriedly on his bottom lip watching as Sam nodded once. "Because Sam… this is…" He shook his head. "I've never lied to you before now, not about this, but Sam I think if you knew what it was that was going on, you'd have wished that we had kept you in the dark." He said to give his brother a last chance to back out of the conversation and trying to convince Sam that this was something that he really didn't want to know about.

Sam shook his head. "Please Dean… I don't know anything right now and it's… it's scaring me." He pleaded causing Dean to internally groan. If Sam was already scared, then he was sure what he had to say would just make matters worse. "And I mean, what part of this isn't bad? I guess that it kind of comes with the territory, hunh?" He said making a cynical joke.

"Sam…" Dean ground out as he tiredly rubbed a hand over his face. He blew out a breath and looked away. "Fine, okay, fine…" He stood up and walked over to the window, his back facing Sam. He figured it'd be easier to tell his brother this stuff if he didn't have to look him in the eye and see the pain he was causing. "I don't know the latest details cause I haven't talked to Caleb or Bobby yet today but um… there's ah… there's a reason why you were… why you were raped." He started saying the last part of his sentence softly. It killed him and tore him up inside to imagine the sheer terror and helplessness that his kid brother must have felt as he was overpowered by some pathetic piece of shit.

Dean sighed and took a deep breath and began pacing the length of the room. He couldn't stand still and talk about this, not when every part of him wanted to go hunt down every piece of shit demon out there and tear it to shreds, make each one of them pay for ever laying a finger on Sam. He knew should he ever come across the one responsible, he would be ruthless, just as the demon had been when he'd pinned Sam down and taken something so personal and precious from him. They had shown his brother no mercy; therefore, they would receive none in return.

Sam looked down and stared at the bed sheets, shame filling him as he shut his eyes and his heart rate started to speed up as bits and pieces of his memory came back to him at the mention of the rape. A part of him had suspected that the rape hadn't been a coincidence and so now that he was hearing that he'd been right all along, it terrified him. He didn't know how he was ever going to come to terms with that, if he could ever forgive himself for being that vulnerable, for exposing himself to such opportunity.

Sam glanced down when he felt a soft kick against his abdomen and gently placed his hand against the lower right-hand side of his stomach as another thought entered his head. How was he going to protect his children if he couldn't even take care of himself? _That's just it_ Sam thought _I can't take care of them… I'm not mature enough for that responsibility. _He unconsciously tuned his brother out as that thought rolled over in his head and he tried to come up with some solution to solve all the problems he had created within the past four and a half months.

_How am I going to fix this? _Sam wondered. _Maybe I should just leave once they're born? Yeah, yeah, that's it… that's what I'll do_. Sam blinked away the tears he was surprised were forming and tried to convince himself that that was the best option for everybody involved. He'd leave them with their uncle Dean, the two of them would be much safer that way without him there to screw things up and jeopardize their safety. Settling on a decision that made him feel a bit sick inside, Sam tried to numb himself to whatever it was Dean was about to tell him and put on his 'game face', the one he'd seen on Dean's face many times over the past several years. After all, if he was going to give them up then why should his moods depend on whether or not they were alright? He felt another kick to his abdomen and rubbed his hand over the area. _I'm sorry_ he silently apologized hoping that should they ever learn the truth, he would be forgiven.

"Sammy," Dean had turned around when he heard Sam sniffle. He wanted to see how his brother would react to him starting off on that note and hadn't been surprised to find Sam sitting with slumped shoulders and his bangs in his face. He was pleasantly surprised, however, to see Sam's hand resting on the lower part of his abdomen and hoped that maybe that hand would still be there by the time he finished even if he didn't like the broody, depressed look on his brother's face.

Walking over to the bed, he tilted his brother's chin up and wiped his thumb across Sam's face smearing the tear tracks a bit. "Don't be ashamed Sammy. Please don't feel like you have to be… it wasn't your fault." He reassured when he saw the look in his brother's eyes, being half correct about the reason for his brother's distress.

Sam hadn't spoken much about what had happened but Dean knew it was never far from his brother's mind. Sam was still having nightmares about it every night and he highly doubted that would change anytime soon. Several times, Dean would wake to hear his brother pleading 'no' over and over again but whenever he questioned Sam about it, Sam would clam up and roll away to the edge of the bed, shrinking under Dean's touch if he attempted to comfort him at all. It was only if Dean told him to go back to sleep and didn't ask any questions, did Sam allow Dean to cuddle him. His confidence was shot to hell and he still kept to himself, avoiding conversation with anybody whenever he could. Dean knew it was going to take time for Sam to come to terms with what happened and he really hoped that this didn't prevent his brother's healing in any way though he doubted they'd be that lucky.

Sam shook his head, not believing that. If he hadn't wanted normal so much then maybe this all could have been prevented but no use arguing that now. It wasn't like he had a time machine and could go back and prevent himself from going over to Laura's house or taking a walk. "Whatever you say Dean" Sam mumbled softly a minute later.

Dean sighed, unsure of how in the world he was going to get Sam to see that it could have happened to anybody. Just because it happened to him didn't mean he was at fault for it. His brother had never done anything to anybody to ever deserve having something so wrong and horrific happen to him. Shaking his head, Dean didn't think that anybody deserved that kind of treatment save for a few unfortunate creatures he was hoping to have a run-in with… now they deserved slow, long torture filled deaths. Caleb and Bobby may be the ones on the hunt but Dean had made it clear that when the perpetrators of this little shindig were found, he was going to have a little one-on-one time with them.

Not liking the silence that had fallen around them, Sam spoke up. "So ah… what does _that _have to do with them?" He asked motioning to his stomach.

Figuring that the best way to go about this was to just start at the beginning so Sam wouldn't have to keep asking questions, Dean sank into the nearby office chair and started talking. "A couple of days after you were attacked at Laura's house… Caleb and Bobby were doing an exorcism. They kind of didn't think much of it really to start… it was more like they were just in the area and heard about this girl who the townspeople said 'had the devil in her' so they went and checked it out." Dean looked up and saw that Sam had moved to sit so his back was against the headboard and was watching him very closely. "I guess, at some point during the exorcism, the demon started talking about how a new race was coming and that one of us was helping with that. I guess that the way the demon told it was that the first time you were attacked when you were at Laura's house was basically to just plant eggs in you." Dean worked hard to keep his face neutral as he spoke. "When you were raped… that demon was basically staking his claim and um…" Dean drifted off; he knew that Sam could figure out how his sentence ended.

_No _Sam pleaded. He didn't want them to be demons, he didn't want them to be the same brand of evil that he'd been taught to kill. He wanted them to be children, _his_ children… not some piece of hellspawn. _Why do you care so much? You're leaving anyway, remember? _Sam thought as he clenched his jaw shut so hard he could feel his teeth grinding together. Sam felt like a knife had been plunged into him and then twisted just for kicks as he fought the different emotions that were trying to rise to the surface.

"Anything else I should know Dean?" Sam asked with a fake smile on his face. Dean could see his brother's jaw twitching and wasn't sure if Sam was fighting back tears or anger, probably a mix of both.

Dean nodded.

"Well, please share." Sam growled out as he nodded for his brother to continue.

Dean felt like shit as he sat there dumping all of this on his brother all at once. Thinking back, he knew it would have been better to tell Sam a little bit at a time and let him adjust to each devastating piece of news before piling more on. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option he had and he had to live with the consequences of his actions.

"I'm waiting." Sam spoke up, his face and voice hard hiding the sadness that lied beneath.

Dean nodded again and continued. "There is or was some competition going on and you, or rather they, were the grand prize, I guess. Sammy, the competition was to see who could be the first one to inject you with his DNA and whoever did so would be…" Sam cut Dean off.

"No!" He shouted. "Don't say it… don't you fucking say that that bastard has any say over them!" Dean was taken aback by the fierce protectiveness that shone in his brother's eyes. Sure, Sam had started to show slight interest in the twins over the past couple of weeks or so but nothing of this nature and he wasn't sure he could say he was totally pleased that Sam had decided that now was the best time to become protective.

"Sammy, I'm not saying that's the guaranteed truth but everything that Bobby and Caleb have found out so far kind of points it in that direction." Dean said softly. "So far from what we can tell, when you were at Laura's house and all of this started, you obviously got pregnant," He said nodding towards the bump that couldn't be hidden any more, no matter how hard Sam tried. "But that there wasn't really any DNA there if that makes sense. When… the second time you were attacked, it was the demon trying to stake his claim."

Sam looked down, tears hanging off his lashes and slowly dripping down his face. "He said I won." He whispered.

Dean moved closer to the bed, unable to hear Sam's mumbling. "What Sam?" He asked.

"The… the demon, before he… he said 'I won'… before I wasn't sure what it meant," Sam slowly removed his hands from his stomach and turned to lie down on his side, his back to Dean.

"Sam?" Dean questioned, wondering where Sam's head was at right now.

Tears flooded Sam's eyes and quickly spilled down his cheeks as a fear, unlike anything he'd ever felt before filled him. Fear for both his and his children's safety.

"Sammy?" Dean repeated as he moved closer to his brother and put one hand on Sam's shoulder.

Sam shook his head as he tried to wrap his mind around the fact that he could be raped again. Before, it had just been a paranoid thought in his head spurred by the first attack but to hear from his brother that there were other demons who were after him, who wanted to hurt him… it was too much and Sam got to his feet as quickly as he could and ran into the bathroom just before he lost his lunch.

"Sam?" Dean asked once Sam's heaving was done as he tried to gauge his brother's reaction to all of this.

Sam looked up and Dean was taken aback by the look of anger on his brother's face. "You lied to me! You told me you didn't know anything and if you did that you'd tell me!" Hurt, anger, and betrayal were all loud and clear in Sam's voice covering, for the moment, the fear that was pulsing rapidly through him.

Unsure if this was the right move or not, Dean reached forward to hesitantly place his hand on Sam's back, feeling shocked as he watched Sam recoil from him. "Sam?" He questioned softly, his voice quivering.

"Don't touch me." Sam growled. "Don't you fucking touch me!"

Trying to bury how much those two sentences stung, Dean nodded and pulled back slowly exiting the bathroom and going to stand over by the window. He didn't want to leave the kid alone, not yet, so he decided space was the next best thing.

Sam emerged a couple minutes later and instantly went to go lie down on his bed, his back to his brother and tears racing down his cheeks.

Dean watched Sam for several minutes before he got up the courage to speak again. "Sam, I'm sorry…"

"Don't Dean, just don't okay." Sam felt incredibly frightened and betrayed as he thought about all of the possibilities of what could happen next. He listened as he heard Dean's footsteps retreat and the door close, leaving him feeling more alone than he had felt in a long, long time. A sudden series of kicks and punches to his abdomen had him moving his hands downward until they were splayed across his belly. Sam chocked back a sob when he continued to feel his twins move and he buried his face in his pillow, devastated at the knowledge that the twins were only half his.

~DW/SW~

Dean glanced into the kitchen and saw his dad, Steven, and Jim sitting at the table, talking. By the looks on their faces, he guessed that they had heard what him and Sam upstairs and were waiting for some kind of explanation. Needing a beer to help ease the sting of Sam's words, Dean took a long swig from the bottle he'd grabbed and sat down at the table too. "He ah…" That was as far as Dean got before the front door was swung open. The sudden, forceful action had John and Dean jumping to their feet and instantly reaching for their pieces but then Bobby and Caleb entered the kitchen, both of them looking as if they were about to kill something. Letting out a relieved sigh, the two older Winchesters clicked the safeties back on and returned to their seats.

Dean was surprised when a third person walked into the room and stood beside Caleb. He had known that Caleb was using his expertise in tracking but had not counted on actually seeing the man anytime soon. Dean raised his bottle though and saluted the man who nodded back at him.

Josh Leeway was another friend of their dad's but not one that he and Sam had ever really spent any time with. Josh was a gruffer kind of person and Sam had never been all that fond of him, part of the reason why Dean always tried to make them avoid the man. He wasn't mean or cruel, at least not intentionally; he just didn't care much for how you felt provided you got the job done and seeing as how Sam was more of a sensitive kid who needed to talk emotions out and such, the two had never really gotten along.

"Bobby, what's going on?" John asked glancing around at the three furious hunters. Both his hunter and parental instincts were screaming at him that there was something really, really wrong.

Bobby shook his head, a serious look on his face and John knew that whatever had happened since the last time he'd seen Bobby hadn't been good.

_Fuck! What more could happen?_ John thought as he threaded a hand through his hair.

"Where's Sam?" Caleb asked staring at Dean.

"Oh, now you care?" Dean asked sarcastically. "Why didn't you think about that before you started yelling into the phone earlier, hunh?"

Caleb looked downright confused and glanced around the room to see that he wasn't the only one who didn't know what Dean was talking about. "Dean, what the fuck are you talking about?" Caleb asked.

Jim coughed and raised an eyebrow but Dean interrupted him.

"You wouldn't shut up and Sam figured it out and made me tell him everything, that's what the fuck I'm talking about!" Dean shouted.

Caleb was about to respond when Bobby walked up and cuffed both Dean and Caleb upside the head. "Yellin' at each other's not going to fix the fact that Sam knows and besides we have bigger fish to fry." He ordered them to calm down in a no nonsense tone of voice. Seeing that the two young men had cooled down a bit, he continued. "Dean, where is Sam?" He repeated.

"He's upstairs… he kicked me out after I told him." Dean explained before taking a drink of his beer.

"If he knows the rest of it, you might as well as go get him." Dean nodded and headed up the stairs wondering if Sam would talk to him now or if he'd be shut out again.

"Sammy?" He called opening their door a bit.

"What now Dean?" He heard in a faint voice.

"Um… we wanna talk to you downstairs okay?" Dean said standing in the open doorway, his arms crossed over his chest and his beer bottle hanging loosely in his grip.

"Why? So you can tell me more lies?" Sam asked wiping a hand across his face.

"I don't know what they're going to say but I figured I might as well come up and ask if you want to join us." He offered.

Sam bit his lip and nodded as he pushed himself up off the bed, having to pause a moment to get his balance. He had definitely continued to gain weight since his last appointment with Steven a little less than a week ago and it was screwing with his balance and coordination like there was no tomorrow. He was a bit afraid of what the scale might say the next time he stepped on it. Pushing thoughts of his extended belly to the back of his mind, he sighed and made his way over to his brother. Silently, they made their way downstairs where Sam stopped in his tracks when he saw just how crowded the house was. His dad, Jim, and Steven were all sitting at the kitchen table and Bobby, Caleb, and Josh were standing around drinking beers.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck _Sam thought as he looked around trying to find some way to sneak back up stairs. As it was though, it appeared he was stuck down in the kitchen for a while and he gulped, trying not to feel so anxious even as he felt Josh stare at him. His anger at being lied to momentarily forgotten; Sam put himself behind Dean and tried to adjust his shirt as if pulling on it would make him look less pregnant.

Josh stared, slightly open mouthed at the youngest Winchester. He hadn't believed it when Caleb had called him and told him he needed his help tracking a demon because it had knocked up Sam. Josh had thought that Caleb was drunk dialing him at first but then Bobby had come on the line and validated everything Caleb had just said. Seeing the proof now, there was no denying that the kid was pregnant, and it had Josh in shock.

Dean saw the look on Josh's face and gave him a nudge and a glare as he passed by him. The last thing he needed was for Sam to have a hormonal breakdown at the moment because of Josh's staring.

Seeing the anxiety written on his son's face, John stood and quietly offered his seat to him realizing that the sooner he put his plans in motion, the better but for the moment he had to deal with this. Sam took his dad's chair, grateful that he could at least hide a bit of his stomach with the table and was kind of away from everybody else. Sam didn't dare to look at anybody though and was trying not to shake too much knowing that would just draw more unwanted attention as he wondered how could everyone in his family, everyone he trusted lie to him like that for the past only god knows how long. Mentally shaking himself, Sam pushed his hurt feelings away and tried to listen to the conversation going on around him.

Clearing his throat, John spoke up and looked hard at all of his friends in the room before his eyes drifted to his son. "Someone had better tell me what is going on right now or we're going to have a problem." He said through clenched teeth.

Bobby nodded. "Sure Johnny," He took his ever present baseball cap off and rung it in his hands. "It looks like the demon was right."

"About what?" Dean asked trying to keep his heart beat steady. There was a lot that the demon could be right about and none of it was good.

"Who could potentially be the father…? I guess, it doesn't matter who really has sex with Sam… they just have to be the last one before he gives birth." All eyes turned to Sam at Bobby's explanation as they all wondered how Sam would react to that. Dean felt sick at the thought that there was a very, very real chance that another demon might come and attack his brother. He moved his hand to his back and touched the piece that rested against his spine and was cursing the fact that he had to go to work the next moring. Even though he knew his dad would protect Sam with his life, he didn't want to leave the kid alone and was considering calling in sick.

Sam felt the fear return and rubbed a hand over his belly protectively. Sam wasn't sure he ever wanted to have sex again, he wasn't sure he could ever let himself be that vulnerable in front of someone without worrying if they were going to do something to him against his will but then another thought hit him, this meant that the twins might end up not being demons after all. There was a chance that he could make his babies be all Winchester. Sam smiled tearfully at the thought. _I'm going to save you guys, I promise_ Sam thought. He didn't know how but he was going to, he had to.

* * *

Hey, so how was that? I hope it was good. Like I said, if any part was confusing please tell me and I'll try and fix it. Thanks for reading and I hope you'll take a moment to let me know your thoughts, I'd really appreciate it. Also, I know there are some people who are reading this who aren't fans of wincest or slash and I want to assure you that even if it looks like it might go that way, it isn't going to, I promise.

Thanks again and I'll try to update soon. :)


	15. Chapter 15

Hey guys! Thanks for waiting, I think I finally have the conversations sounding realistic enough in this one but please let me know if you disagree with me or if you think they're fine, I'd love to hear back from you either way! Just FYI, my grandparents are coming next week so I think that'll probably put a dent in how much time I have to write but I will try to update as quickly as I can.

I have to say thank you again for all of your continued support! I had no idea when I posted the first chapter that I would get such a good response to an mpreg story that I honestly could not believe I was writing but it's been fun so far so I hope you will all continue to enjoy it.

Now, on with the story... :)

* * *

John woke the next morning around five, glad to find the house quiet and everybody else still sleeping though he knew that it probably wouldn't be that way for much longer. Deciding that a shower was too risky and might wake someone, he forewent it and got dressed in a grubbier pair of clothes, knowing he'd need them today. He then grabbed the section of newspaper he'd saved, tucked it into his jacket pocket, grabbed the keys to his truck and headed downstairs silently cursing when he saw Caleb and Bobby asleep in the living room. _Crap_ he thought as he started to tip-toe across the living room floor, hoping there weren't any squeaky spots. He paused midway when he saw Caleb shift and groan tiredly on his makeshift bed on the floor. _Stay asleep_ John silently ordered, blowing out a relieved breath when Caleb rolled over and appeared to still be sleeping. He made it the rest of the way and quietly closed the front door behind him before heading to his truck and peeling out of Jim's driveway.

~DW/SW~

Caleb stood on the porch, close to the side of the house so he wouldn't be seen and watched as John drove away. _Where the hell is he going this early in the morning?_ He wondered as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and debated if he should follow after him but then he remembered the promise he'd made Dean that he would look out for the kid. He clenched his mouth shut in irritation that John seemed to be back to his old ways. If this was some random hunt that the old guy was chasing after, Caleb wasn't sure he'd be able to restrain himself from giving John a knuckle sandwich. Random civilians didn't mean squat when the youngest Winchester was in danger and it angered him that John didn't seem to get that. Growling to himself about stubborn, pig-headed, moronic Winchesters he stomped back inside the house and caught the door just before it slammed shut.

~DW/SW~

Sam woke and was relieved to find Dean's bed empty. He really didn't feel like seeing his brother right now, hell, he didn't think he wanted to see anyone right now. He was still hurt that they had all lied so blatantly to him and wasn't sure what he would say to them or if they would even start to tell him the truth now. He placed a hand on his rounding stomach and figured that his twins were still asleep since his bladder wasn't being abused at the moment and stood. _Thanks for giving daddy a break guys, he needs it_ he silently told his twins as he yawned, still feeling a bit tired.

Sam had gotten almost zero sleep last night what with his rounding stomach making comfortable positions rare and the stress from the news he'd found out. On top of that, he'd had yet another nightmare a couple of hours ago and had had trouble falling back asleep afterwards. A part of him had wanted to crawl into his brother's bed and snuggle close to the safety that he always felt whenever Dean's arm was draped over him but then he had remembered that he had lied to him and that sting of betrayal made him stay in his own bed, his arms wrapped around his middle as he tried to fall back asleep.

Dean's betrayal, Sam felt, was the worst because he trusted his brother so explicitly. Sam had always looked up to Dean his entire life, wanting to be just like him. Sam remembered being a little kid and listening to everything Dean said and using those exact same phrases and arguments in his own conversations because if Dean said it, then it had to be true. Sometimes, he would even dress like his big brother. If he was wearing long sleeves, he would roll them up past his elbows just like Dean did. Hell, Dean had been the only one Sam had felt even remotely okay with after the rape. He was the only who Sam didn't go running from when they tried to touch him because he was sure that even if everyone else was considered to be a friend, Dean was the one who would never, ever lie to him or do anything to purposefully hurt him. _Guess that's not true_ Sam thought sadly.

His whole world had been turned upside down in the past couple of months and he felt as if he wasn't quite sure who he was any more and a part of him wished he could go back to being Dean Winchester's geeky, emo little brother who was more inclined to have a book in his hand rather than a beer. Now, he wasn't sure who he was or where his life was going to go and while the thought of going to college and leaving his family behind had scared him a bit, it was nothing compared to the terrifying feeling he got when he thought about how he was going to be a single parent in just a few, short months. _That is if you stay but then again, knowing you, you'll probably run from it like the wimp you know you are_ Sam thought as he bit his lip, unsure of what his final decision would be.

~DW/SW~

Dean felt distracted the entire day while he was at work and he made a few mistakes, unnoticeable to anybody else but enough for him to grow aggravated with himself. He couldn't help but worry about his brother and his unborn twins even though he knew there was a house full of hunters who would protect Sam with their lives if it came down to it. He still didn't like being away from Sam even with that knowledge and was silently willing the clock to move faster, wanting to just get home and see Sam. He had never fully trusted anyone with Sam's safety, even their own father. Whenever they went on hunts with other hunters, he always made sure he was paired up with Sam not trusting anyone else to look after Sam the way he knew he would. _Yeah, you've done a great job so far_ he thought sarcastically.

The twenty minute drive that separated him from his brother right now was terrifying. He usually kept his phone in his locker while he worked, not wanting to get distracted or lose this job as it was one his family desperately needed but after finding out that there were more demons gunning for Sam, he wanted to be in close contact with his family should the need for him to leave quickly arise though he prayed that wouldn't happen. Besides, he knew he needed to apologize to Sam about lying to him and knew there was no way he was going to be able to do that over the phone since Sam was refusing to talk to him. He hoped that maybe if he could just get Sam to sit down long enough to listen, he might be able to get through to him. Dean sighed but forced a smile on his face when he saw a costumer approaching his check-out station.

~DW/SW~

The next afternoon, John walked into the kitchen and saw both Sam and Bobby enjoying lunch together while Bobby told Sam the latest stories of his 'guard' dog, Rumsfeld, who was actually more inclined to lick someone to death rather than bite them despite his intimidating appearance and loud bark.

"Hey Sammy," John said as he leaned against the counter. He hoped Sam would acknowledge him, Sam hadn't spoken to him or Dean in four days… not since he'd found out about the competition.

Sam completely ignored his father and turned to face the other direction, not wanting to give his dad the chance to lie to him. He wasn't quite sure why he was okay with talking to Bobby when the idea of having a conversation with his father or brother irked him so much as he knew that Bobby and Caleb and even Pastor Jim had been on the deception too. He wasn't sure where Steven stood in all of this but since he rarely talked to the man outside of his appointments, it hadn't come up yet.

There was a small moment of awkward silence when John realized that he was still getting the cold shoulder from his youngest. _Okay then_ he thought sighing a bit. "Ah Bobby, can I talk to you," John looked at Sam before returning his gaze to his friend. "Privately" He added.

Sam huffed and got up from his seat at the table, walking out of the room with an angry look on his face. _So much for getting nothing but the truth now_ he thought bitterly.

Both John and Bobby watched Sam walk out of the kitchen before they sat down at the recently abandoned kitchen table. "John, what is it?" Bobby asked feeling a bit concerned about what his friend needed to talk to him about.

Josh had left the day before to continue the search for the mastermind behind all of this and he hadn't contacted anyone of them yet except to say that he was stopping for the night in a town called Placerville in Iowa. Because of the uncertainty of where the demons running this could be and just how many of them might actually be involved, they had agreed to keep very close tabs on each other in the hopes of preventing any one of them from falling prey or being used as bait. The last thing they needed was for one of those bastards to worm their way into their tight knit circle and endanger Sam and the twins any further.

"I need some help…" John said, surprising Bobby. It wasn't often that those words tumbled from the oldest Winchester and despite John's serious tone, it had Bobby fighting back a smile.

"With what?" Bobby asked intrigued. "Your truck giving you trouble?"

John quirked an eyebrow at Bobby, his friend knew that he'd had his own mechanic shop before he'd gotten started as a hunter. "I can take care of her just fine." He replied, defending himself and his skills before he shook his head, growing serious again. "No, it's ah… it's something else."

"Spit it out John." Bobby practically ordered.

"I ah… I was wondering if I could borrow some money." John grimaced as he said that, looking hesitant about asking and Bobby had a feeling it was both a mixture of the man's pride and the possibility that he wasn't completely sure what he was doing.

Bobby nodded. "How much are we talking?" He asked.

John sighed. "It's a lot Bobby… I found this place. It's not far from here and I just… I think it would be good for Sam, for all of us. I want to give them what I can." He explained sighing as he did so. _It's about time I did right by them_ he thought to himself. "And besides, we've already run out of rooms and those two aren't even here yet."

He nodded, having to agree with John on that. There really was no room at Jim's for a nursery to be added. "How much John?" Bobby repeated.

John sighed. "The house itself costs $119,000… I need help with the down payment, after that I'm pretty sure Dean and I can handle it." John answered hoping that he'd get the janitorial job he had applied for. He had talked to Dean about it only briefly not wanting to act like he was offering his sons something, only to disappoint. He wasn't sure if Dean had talked to Sam about it or not yet but since Sam hadn't mentioned it, he doubted his youngest knew. _And the Winchester secrets continue_ John thought as he realized that the sooner he told Sam about it, the better it would be.

Bobby nodded. "I hope I'll get to see this place sometime."

John stared at his friend in shock. He hadn't really thought Bobby would say no or refuse to help him out but he hadn't expected it to be this easy either. "Thank you Bobby… I'll pay you back, I swear."

Bobby shook his head dismissively and smiled a bit. _What's the point if you can't help family out_ he thought. Sam and Dean were practically his nephews, that's what everyone back home knew them as and Johnny was like a brother to him, much more so than his actual one. "Don't worry 'bout it John," He grumbled back, his lips quirking up in a smile.

~DW/SW~

Dean glanced at the clock and saw that it was a quarter till one, time for him to take his lunch break. He closed his cash register and put the sign up before making his way to the employee lounge at the back of the store which really wasn't much more than a small room with a couch, a table, a refrigerator and a water fountain. He forced himself to eat even though he didn't have much of an appetite, the events from yesterday still lingering. He finished his sandwich and chucked the paper bag and napkin into the trash, smiling a little at one of his co-workers who walked in as he was walking out.

Hoping that Sam was alright, Dean grabbed his cell out of his pocket and headed for the alley outside of the store. He dialed Jim's number and waited as the phone rang. "Hey Steven, it's Dean." Dean said when the phone was finally answered a few minutes later. "Is Sammy there?" He asked, biting his lip nervously.

Dean heard Steven place the phone down on the counter and then what sounded like footsteps returned a couple of minutes later. "Dean… I'm sorry." Steven said into the phone.

"Nah, that's okay… tell him not to worry and I'll be home when I can, okay?" Dean said before he hung up and tried to hide his disappointment.

~DW/SW~

Steven stared at the phone in his hand and then glanced back outside to the teen who was sitting on the front steps of Jim's porch. When Dean had asked if Sam was there, the young man had adamantly refused to take the phone and had gotten up from his chair to go sit outside instead. Sighing, Steven replaced the phone on its hook and went outside as well. "Mind if I join you?" He asked pausing next to Sam.

Sam shook his head no and scooted over a little to make more room for the doctor.

Steven sat down, staring out at the distance unsure really of what, if anything, Sam would say to him.

Sam turned his head away from whatever he had been looking at to face Steven. "Did you know?" He asked chewing on his bottom lip.

"About the competition?" Steven clarified.

Sam nodded.

"No, not really… I mean, I knew there was something going on but no, I didn't know the details." Steven explained, sighing softly. He wasn't exactly sure where this conversation was going to go.

_So, I guess that's one person I can count on _Sam thought. Sam nodded and turned back to face the yard, a small smile on his face when Bummer ran up to him looking much better now that his limp had healed. Bummer gently bumped Sam's stomach and rubbed his nose against Sam's shirt. "Shh, don't wake 'em up boy… I'm finally getting a break here." Sam playfully reprimanded.

Steven looked over at Sam. "They're getting active?" He asked.

Sam nodded. "Yeah…" He drifted off and looked away as he placed a hand on his belly, rubbing it tenderly.

"What is it Sam?" Steven asked as he could see that the teen had something more that he wanted to say.

"Do you think they can tell?" Sam asked shifting a little so he could try and get a bit more comfortable.

"Well, I… you okay?" Steven asked when he saw Sam grimacing a bit.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, sitting's just a little difficult, you know." He sent the doctor a small smile.

Steven nodded understandingly, back aches and not being able to sit for long had been common complaints among his patients. "I'll be right back, okay?" Steven said as he stood and headed inside.

Sam bit his lip and nodded that he'd be alright. He was surprised when Steven returned only a couple of minutes later with a pillow in hand. Steven bent down, smiled a little and offered Sam a hand up. "Why don't we sit over there, I think you'll be much more comfortable, hmm?" He suggested as he motioned to the porch swing.

"Thanks," Sam smiled gratefully even as he blushed a bit about needing the help to get up.

Steven shook his head and said nothing as he led Sam over to the porch swing. "Here," He said handing Sam the pillow which Sam placed behind his back.

Sam let out a soft sigh at the small amount of comfort that he was able to get from the soft cushion supporting his back.

"So, do I think they are able to tell what?" Steven asked taking a seat beside Sam on the swing realizing that this was the first time that he had ever actually sat down and talked to the young man outside of his appointments and really, those were just formalities.

Sam glanced down at his swollen stomach and remained quiet.

"They can tell… it feels like whenever I'm upset, that's when they're the most active and I don't know…" He drifted off again and sighed.

Steven considered this. "I think that even if they are not fully aware of what's going on, they are able to sense certain things and can probably tell if you're stressed out." He explained.

"How?" Sam asked looking both confused and interested.

"Well, your heart rate speeds up and such and they can definitely feel that happening and it may cause them to be a bit more worked up too." Steven answered with a smile. He was glad that Sam was now asking him positive questions about the twins. He would certainly much rather talk about this than ways to help Sam's body dispose of the fetuses living inside the teen.

Sam nodded, seeming to think that over. "So when I get worked up then they do too?"

"Pretty much." He answered quietly and then the two of them fell into a bit of silence.

"Thanks for talking to me," Sam said with a small smile on his face as he started to stand. "I know I haven't been all that easy to get along with."

Steven shrugged. "I'm your doctor, I want you to ask me questions." He said as if it were no big deal.

Sam sighed. "Yeah but I've been a pretty big pain in the ass to you… pretty much since this whole thing started and well, I wouldn't blame you if you thought I was some punk kid."

Steven shook his head at Sam's words. He always had and still did feel guilty for essentially creating this situation and had never held it against Sam, instead turning the blame on himself. "It's okay Sam, you've got a lot on your plate right now, it's easy to understand that you'd snap sometimes." He smiled sadly at the teen. "And I don't blame you for being… upset… with me Sam… I mean, if it wasn't really for me than you probably wouldn't be in this situation right now so…"

"You didn't even know demons existed though." Sam argued cutting the doctor off. "Let alone, that there was a real chance that you might ever be possessed someday. Me… I've been trained my whole life to fight demons and all of that kind of shit… I should have known better."

Steven looked at Sam and studied him for a moment. "How Sam? How could you have known when you came over to my house that I was possessed? Laura hadn't told you anything about the way I'd been acting lately or what it was that I was trying to do." He shook his head. "They say hindsight's 20/20 for a reason… there are probably things, miniscule as they seemed back then, that we both could have done but what use is it to dwell on those things now? Wishing that you'd never paired up with her in class or gone for a walk when you were angry isn't going to change the fact that you have two babies on the way and a family who is, in my opinion, one of the most supportive groups of people behind you… you're lucky Sam, incredibly lucky to have them."

Sam's face hardened. "How? They lie to me and treat me like a child?" He asked.

"Sam, I've been an obstetrician gynecologist for the past nineteen years and I've seen other teenagers get pregnant at sixteen and you know what happened to the majority of them?" He asked. "Some of them got kicked out of their houses for getting knocked up and had to go live with friends or in really sad and scary situations, on the streets. Others were forced to abort their babies because their parents wanted them to or because they didn't have anybody to support them and help them. Hell, I saw adults older than you get pregnant and thought they'd have a happy boyfriend or husband to support them only to end up by themselves… you, you're family may be overbearing but they're all there for you and as annoying as it can be, they are all trying to do what they think is best for you and what they think will help you out the most." He sighed. "They love you Sam and as," He paused trying to find the right word. "Unusual as a situation as this is, none of them have turned tail and run. Instead, they're all determined to stick it out until the end and see just where the hell this is leading to so don't be so hard on them, okay? They're trying."

Sam shook his head. He knew his family loved him, his dad and brother might not say those exact words but they didn't have to. Their actions, for the most part, proved more than words ever could. Both Dean and his dad had gotten several hunting injuries because they'd jumped into the line of fire to save Sam from being injured and it was smaller things too, especially with Dean, their sacrifices spoke volumes but he still wanted to know why he was so far down in the line of communication. "Why can't they talk to me though? Why can't they ask me what I want instead of just choosing it for me and assuming it's what I would have wanted?" He asked.

"I can't answer that Sam." He replied truthfully and not wanting to put words in either man's mouth.

Sam nodded, knowing Steven was right.

~DW/SW~

_I am lucky_ Sam thought a while later as he stared at the TV screen, having just watched an episode of MTV's show "Sixteen and Pregnant". The episode he'd just watched featured a girl who'd gotten pregnant at the age of sixteen, like him, and also like him, she'd had to drop out of school. The difference though was that she had become essentially a loner after she'd gotten pregnant having her friends and boyfriend abandon her and her family not really all that concerned about what she was going to do. It made him think back to his earlier conversation with Steven and how his family hadn't turned on him and left him to deal with this on his own. Instead, his dad and brother had for all intents and purposes given up a life-long fight and had settled down to be with him and make sure Sam got through this in one piece.

Sam wiped a hand across his face as he shook his head. _You guys… you guys are gonna be so loved_ he thought and silently hoped that would be the truth as he placed both hands on his abdomen feeling a kick against his rib cage. _But first things first_ he thought as he grabbed the remote and shut the TV off, heading for Jim's library.

~DW/SW~

Dean walked into the kitchen and saw the note on the fridge saying _there's dinner in the fridge if you're hungry_. He smiled a little when he realized it was Sam's handwriting. He hoped that meant that Sam might not be so mad anymore and opened the fridge taking the tinfoil covered plate out. He uncovered it and felt like giggling, though he'd never admit that, when he saw it was Sam's 'special' casserole. He threw the tinfoil out, walked over to a draw and grabbed a knife and fork before he headed into the living room, surprised to find it empty and the TV off. He thought for sure, at least Caleb would still be up. It was only eight thirty, after all. _Hunh, that's weird_ he thought. Shrugging it off as nothing, he flipped the TV on to find some mindless sitcom and dug into his meal.

Having finished his second helping of the casserole dish about twenty minutes later, he shut the TV off and put his dishes in the dishwasher deciding he had better go see where everybody was. _What's all this?_ He thought when he saw books and papers scattered all over Jim's library. Looking closer, he realized that they were all different spells and rituals used to transform people and animals. _Shit, shit, shit! Sammy, what the hell are you thinking?_ He wondered as he quickly left the room and charged up the stairs, going straight into his and Sam's room not even bothering to knock to see if his brother was decent or not.

_No, no, no, no_ he thought when he saw that the room was empty. "Sam!" He shouted running over to the window and checking to see if the line was still intact or not. It was. "Sam!"

Dean was about to work himself into a panic when the door opened and the light was turned on. "Dean?"

"Sammy, shit there you are. You okay?" Dean asked, unable to hide his worry over where Sam could have been or what could have happened to him.

Sam nodded as he walked over to his bed and began to pull back the covers.

"Shit, you scared the hell out of me dude… I thought…" He drifted off. "Where is everybody?" He asked, scratching his head and going over to his own bed.

Sam yawned and shrugged. "I haven't really seen dad since this morning and Bobby too, same with Caleb. I know Steven's in his room." Sam answered as he tried to get comfortable.

Dean saw his brother moving around a bit and was a little unsure if he should offer him any assistance. When Sam groaned and continued to move around, he made up his mind. "Want an extra pillow?" Dean asked getting up from his bed and carrying a pillow with him.

"What for?" Sam grumbled before he remembered what both Steven and the pregnancy book had said about it helping sleeping to be a bit more comfortable.

"Sit up for a minute." Dean ordered.

Sam surprised Dean when he did so with a small smile on his face. "Thanks," Sam said when Dean told him he could lie back down again. He was surprised to find that the pillow under his stomach did help and he settled down to lie on his side, facing his brother's bed.

"Ah sure… no problem." Dean replied as he started to turn back to his own bed, not really feeling tired but not wanting to leave Sam alone either, especially since it looked like Sam had decided to talk to him again.

"Dean?" Sam said a few minutes later, sounding somewhat hesitant.

"Yeah Sam?" Dean asked as he took off his work shirt and replaced with a ratty old tee.

"I'm sorry I've been giving you and dad the cold shoulder lately." He started as he fought the tight feeling in his chest.

"We kind of deserved it." Dean shrugged as he walked back to his bed.

Sam nodded in agreement but not wanting to cause a fight, he opted out of saying so. "How was work?" Sam asked watching as Dean climbed under his own covers.

Dean shrugged again. "Nothing too exciting." He smiled a bit before he bit his lip hesitantly. "How was your day?"

"Okay," Sam sighed. "I talked with Steven."

"Really?" Dean asked, surprised. He had not been expecting that. "Everything okay?" He asked worried that there might be something wrong.

Sam nodded again even though he doubted Dean could see him in the dark. "Yeah…"

"Sam?" Dean asked again, he didn't like the hesitant sound to his brother's voice.

"I'm okay, we're okay." Sam reassured. "He just kind of made me realize that I'm lucky to have someone who pesters me to take care of myself and all."

"Oh really?" Dean smirked. "How did he do that?"

"Told me about some of his patients who'd been kicked out of their homes because they'd gotten pregnant." Sam answered.

Dean silently shook his head. He couldn't imagine doing that to Sam, telling him to hit the road because he'd made a mistake. "That it'd be tough." He said sympathetically.

Sam nodded in agreement. It was hard enough doing this with people supporting him; he didn't think he could have done it alone.

The brothers lied in silence for a while, both contemplating the consequences of that and both feeling thankful that they hadn't had to make such a decision.

"Dean?" Sam asked quietly.

Dean sighed. "Yeah," He groaned wondering if this was going to be one of _those_ nights, where Sam would keep him up asking questions or groaning when he couldn't get comfortable. He hoped not as he had work in the morning and he was opening the store tomorrow.

"No more lies okay?" Sam asked and Dean thought he heard Sam sniffle.

"We didn't do it intentionally Sam… we just didn't want you to have to deal with it." He answered. "I mean, dad and I, we both kind of thought that since there is no way in hell that another demon is touching you, ever," He had a serious look on his face and Sam knew that Dean was deadly serious about that. "That maybe we shouldn't worry you with that kind of information, not if it wasn't absolutely necessary for you to know."

"But that's just it Dean, I do have to deal with it… whether you and Dad like it or not, I have to. They're… they're inside _me_ and I know you guys are just trying to protect me and I appreciate that, please believe me," Sam pretty much begged. "I do but I want to know what's going on because I can't… I can't protect them if I don't know what the dangers are."

Dean nodded, surprised that finding out that his twins were currently part demon had brought this sense of protection about in his brother. "No more lies, Sam, I promise." He said sitting up in his bed and staring at his brother, trying to make Sam see that he meant that as well.

Sam smiled a bit and nodded. He then bit his lip. "Can um… can I sleep in your bed?" He asked sounding scared and unsure. "They're not so bad when um…" He drifted off feeling embarrassed.

Dean quirked a brow but nodded anyways.

Sam smiled again and stood, bringing the two pillows with him. Dean scooted over in his bed and raised the blanket, waiting for Sam to crawl under them.

Sam let out a contented groan as he snuggled up next to his brother.

"Night Sammy," Dean said softly as he slipped an arm around Sam's growing waist and placed it over Sam's bump.

"Night Dean," Sam replied, his eyes widening when he felt a strong kick, the most powerful one yet. He knew Dean had felt it when his brother sat up.

"Sam was… was that?" Dean's eyes drifted down to his brother's mid-drift and he stared at his hand in shock. "Did one of 'em just move?"

Sam nodded, a tiny smile on his face. "Yeah… I've um… they've ah… they've been getting stronger."

Dean nodded. _Holy shit_ he thought _those things are real._ "Does it hurt?" He asked concerned.

Sam shook his head no. "It's more of an… an inconvenience." He answered.

"Oh," Dean nodded a little before he glanced back at the bed. "Well, ah, what do we do?" He asked.

Sam let out a small laugh at Dean's reaction making Dean smile a bit. "They'll fall asleep soon," _I hope_ he silently added. "You just kind of gotta ignore it." He reassured before a thought hit him. _What if it freaks him out?_ Sam wondered, a frown appearing on his face. "I can go back to my own bed." He said quietly moving to get up but stopping when Dean grabbed his wrist.

"You don't have to Sam. C'mon, let's go back to sleep and maybe the munchkins'll follow suit, hunh?" Dean suggested, internally battling with himself over the fact that he'd just felt either his niece or nephew kick for the first time. A part of him thought it was kind of cool and the other part was completely freaked out. Feeling his brother's stomach move was something he never thought he'd experience and it left him with mixed feelings. _We're in for a long night_ he resigned himself.

The smile returned to Sam's face as he lied back down and closed his eyes, one hand falling to his stomach. _That's your Uncle Dean_ Sam thought, silently introducing his twins to his brother. _You'll like him a lot, everyone does._

Sam was surprised when he felt Dean's hand cover his own but he didn't say anything about it, instead letting his brother's warmth and comfort lull him to sleep.

* * *

Hey, so how was that? Hopefully, everyone enjoyed the chapter, please feel free to let me know if you did or not! I look forward to hearing back from you. Thanks for taking the time to read this and I'll try to update soon. :)


	16. Chapter 16

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter and I hope you'll enjoy it. I don't think it should take me too long to get the next one up but I will be out of town next week for two days so I'm going to try and either update just before I go or not too long after I get back.

I love the reviews you guys have all been sending me! I'm really touched and flattered that everyone is enjoying the story so far, thanks a bunch! I hope you will continue to and I look forward to hearing what you thought of this chapter. Enjoy! :)

* * *

John pulled up to the house that was about a twenty-five minute drive away from Jim's place and sighed as he looked at it. He parked the truck and climbed out, staring at the house with his arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed the property in front of him wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into. _Oh well, it's too late to turn back now_ he thought as he sighed deeply, reminding himself that he was doing this for his boys. He knew that it didn't make up for how absent he'd been over the years but figured that this was at least a place to start.

The house John had purchased was a one story with two bedrooms and one bathroom and he had a lot of work to do if he was going to get it ready for them to live in before the twins came. The yard was mostly dirt and filled with weeds that went up to about his waist while the exterior of the house had peeling paint and the windows were in disrepair. Some parts of the deck would need to be replaced as there were a few rotting planks but on the whole, the outside was really the least of his worries. The interior of the house had originally made John leave almost immediately the first time he had seen the place, even with his very tight budget.

The carpets that were in every room except the bathroom and kitchen were covered in colors that John was sure were not the original one that the factory had picked out. He was also pretty sure that the floors underneath were rotten. Luckily, he and Mary had replaced the floors in their home in Lawrence so he knew what he was doing which he was quite thankful for as he really didn't want to have to hire outside help. He didn't think he'd have enough money for that and figured should he come across a project where he needed an extra set of hands, he'd ask either Caleb or Dean to pitch in. As it was though, he wanted to get as much done as he could before he started his job next week.

Yesterday, the manager of the local business distract had called to inform him that he had gotten the job as their night janitor/ security guard. John had decided to get a night job so that way at least one of them would always be able to be home with Sam. This way they could keep an eye on him and protect him for the duration of his pregnancy and after he gave birth, someone would be there to help Sam so that way he could take breaks and wouldn't be on his own with two newborn babies. The only problem though, was that he had yet to tell either of his boys about the fact that he had gotten himself a legal paying job and a house. Considering the fact that Dean had been the one to suggest possibly getting a job and a house, he thought that his oldest would be okay with it but with Sam's hormones and temper, it was hard to predict just how his youngest was going to react.

_That's a problem for another time_ John thought as he huffed slightly and then proceeded to walk up the small set of stairs that led to the porch. He took the key the realtor had given him out of his pocket and unlocked the door, a small smile on his face despite the workload ahead of him. John walked down the hall, slowly starting to imagine how he was going to transform the house.

The room farthest back and the largest room in the house, which was obviously the master was in the best shape. He figured all it would need would be a fresh coat of paint and new carpeting and maybe some new window coverings or something. He planned on making it the boy's room figuring he could sleep out in the living room on the foldout couch he was intending to buy. There was a single closet in the room on the far side of the wall but John figured that he'd get them dressers and that the two of them wouldn't mind sharing all that much as neither one of his boys really had that many clothes or possessions.

The room next to it would be the nursery and it needed a bit more work than the master. The room was covered in wall paper that had to have been from at the very least 1972 John thought. It was yellow and had lemons and pears all over it except for the chunks that had fallen off because of age over the past several years. The room had a large window in it that looked out over the small backyard but the screen was torn and the window itself was cracked. He knew they would both need replacing but all in all, he figured the room was salvageable though he had no idea how he was going to decorate it as Mary had taken full responsibility for both Sam and Dean's nurseries when they had been babies and c'mon let's face it, he had very little, if any, decorating sense.

The kitchen was another story all together and John knew he was going to have to get all new appliances since the oven and stove didn't work, the dishwasher was way past its prime and the fridge was just plain ugly and smelled of rotten food. Of course, everything was a matching mustard yellow color but in reality, it really looked more like diarrhea more than any kind of mustard John had ever used – and he'd been in some pretty questionable diners. A big chandelier light hung down from the middle of the kitchen and was actually kind of nice with the stained glass surrounding it but John was still considering replacing it. He'd see where his budget left him.

But the room that was by far the worst and would be John's biggest problem was the single bathroom. Some of the shower tiles had fallen off and others were cracked as the grout that had originally kept them in place was now falling apart. The tub itself was dirty with stains from what John didn't know and didn't want to know and the edges were rusted with water damage. John had no idea how to tile or how to fix tile and was slightly worried about how he was going to save the bathroom. The brown linoleum flooring had mold spots on it and the corners had begun to curl upwards.

The lighting fixtures in the bathroom were another problem but luckily, they were going to be a lot easier to fix. Over the pale pink sink hung a chandelier that had gold chains and fake candles suspended from it. The sink itself was another monstrosity. It ran about a little over half the length of one wall, was a pale pink color and was fake granite… not exactly the most attractive piece he'd ever seen. John figured that the toilet was a goner and he was glad for it. It was a pale green color and the seat was only hanging on by one of its hinges, John wasn't sure what the people had been thinking when they had put the two color combinations together but it didn't matter now as the thing was headed for the dump.

Sighing as he realized just how much work he had ahead of him, John ran a hand threw his hair and fingered the car keys in his pocket. He had some tools out in his truck but he knew he needed to run by the local hardware store to pick up a few things. _Please let Dean be on his break_ he hoped as he started up the engine knowing his son would get a kick out of seeing him buying home repair things that, for once, he wasn't going to convert into some kind of weapon.

John pulled up into the somewhat smallish parking lot and spotted the Impala parked down at the end with a curb on one side. He laughed silently as he thought about just how protective his son was of that car. It was his son's pride and joy that was for sure and Dean treated it as if it were worth a million dollars. John figured that emotionally, it was worth that much having been more of a home to their little family over the years than anything else. _Well, that's all about to change_ he thought. Thinking that it was now or never, he climbed out and walked across the parking lot to the store, grabbing one of the red baskets on his way in.

~DW/SW~

Dean was kneeling on the floor in the lighting aisle, restocking some electrical wires when he heard a cough behind him. He dusted his hands off on his jeans and stood with a friendly smile on his face. "How can I help you?" He asked before the man turned around causing Dean's smile to turn into a look of shock. "Dad… what the hell are you doing here?"

"Ah, hey Dean…" John drifted off scratching a hand through his hair. "You wouldn't happen to know where the wood supplies are, would ya?"

Dean smirked. "Dad, I work here. 'Course I know where they are but what do you need them for?" He asked. "What, you refinishing Jim's deck or something?" A small chuckle escaped him.

John shook his head. "No, it's ah… I'm doing some repairs…"

Dean still looked confused as his dad still hadn't answered his question.

John sighed, figuring he was going to have to tell the boys about it sooner or later. He had just kind of wanted the house to be in better condition when he did so. "It's for our house." He finally answered.

Dean's eyebrows rose up. "Our house?" He asked.

John nodded.

"Since when do we own anything besides two cars and two trunks filled with weapons and a couple of duffle bags?" He asked, shaking his head in confusion.

"I bought a house." John grimaced as he answered. Dean wasn't exactly responding the way he'd hoped he would.

"Wha… why? When?" Dean sputtered out.

John was about to answer when a middle aged woman tapped Dean on the shoulder. He turned around and smiled at her. "Hi miss," He said in a charming tone of voice.

"Can you please tell me where I can find Garden Grow? I checked the lawn section and it's not there, do you have any idea where it would be?" She asked.

Dean nodded. "I can do better. I can show you." He turned back to his dad who was holding a slip of paper with some writing on it.

"Come by after you get off and I'll show you 'kay?" He suggested.

Dean nodded. "'Kay… oh and dad?"

John turned back to Dean having totally forgotten that at first, he'd requested his son's help much like the woman had. "Yes Dean?"

"Outdoor paints and stains are in aisle 12." He smiled a little before he headed out of the aisle, the woman following him.

~DW/SW~

Sam closed the book he had been looking at feeling very frustrated. So far, every spell or ritual he'd found would transform things but the problem was that they would transform the wrong thing. It seemed as if all of the spells and rituals would affect him but not his babies and he wanted it to be vice versa.

"Still haven't found anything?" Pastor Jim asked as he walked into the library carrying two glasses full of lemonade with him.

Sam shook his head and reached forward to place the book on the coffee table before he took the glass from Jim. "Thanks," He smiled a little.

"Welcome Sam." Jim replied. "Mind if I sit with you?" He asked.

"No." Sam replied as he moved over a bit.

Pastor Jim and Sam sat on the plush couch for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. They were interrupted a few minutes later when Steven knocked on the open doorway.

"Is it time yet?" Sam asked knowing Steven had wanted to do another appointment with him today.

Steven nodded. "But there's no rush Sam… I mean, you're my only patient so…"

"Yeah, I guess you're right but I kind of want to find out so let me go call Dean, 'kay?" Sam set his glass down on the table next to the end of the couch and heaved himself up refusing to admit that it would have been easier if he had asked Jim or Steven to help pull him up. He wasn't quite ready for help in that area yet.

Steven nodded and followed Sam out to the kitchen while Jim stayed behind, beginning to clean up the mess Sam had made but being careful to keep the young man's notes together.

~DW/SW~

Dean looked at the address that was written on the slip of paper his dad had given him and the numbers that were painted on the side of the curb. _There's gotta be a mistake or something_ he thought convinced that his dad had to have written the address down wrong or something as he looked at the shabby house. That is until he saw his dad's truck parked on the side of the house. _He can't expect us to live here_ Dean thought as he stared, slightly slacked-jawed at the house. Sure, they'd stayed in dumps before but his brother hadn't been pregnant when they had and it had only been a temporary spot to be… this house could potentially be their home.

Seeing his dad around the corner of the house, Dean turned the engine off and climbed out. "Dad!" Dean yelled as he walked over to him trying to be heard over the sound of the sander. "Dad!" He shouted again, this time tapping his dad on the shoulder, laughing a little as his dad jumped. "Aren't you supposed to be watching your surroundings?" He teased.

"Jesus Christ Dean!" John shouted back, slapping Dean on the shoulder before he let out a small laugh. He turned the sander off and stood up, dusting his hands off on his jeans and pulled the face mask off tossing it to the side.

"Dad, you can't be serious 'bout this place?" Dean said motioning to the house in front of him.

"It'll get better." John answered confidently.

"It looks like it should be torn down… you sure it's not a health hazard or hasn't been condemned?" He asked half expecting some ghost or other supernatural creature to jump out of it and try to attack him. It had to have rats, at the very least. "I mean, we kind of gotta take extra precautions now."

"I know," John replied. "Look, I know it's bad now but I'm hoping that in a couple of months it'll be ready for us to move in."

"A couple of months…" Dean drifted off as he stared at the weeds that surrounded him and the missing pieces of deck that were covered with large slats of wood to create temporary walk ways.

"C'mon, let me show you the place." John said as he led the way up the stairs and into the house.

Dean shook his head as he followed his dad into the house, his confusion growing as he saw just how bad off the house really was. As far as he knew, his dad was extremely limited in the remodeling department. "Dad, how the hell are you gonna get this done in time… I mean, he's due in almost four months and as far as I remember, you're not exactly the best home decorator person."

John turned around and sighed as he carefully leaned against the grimy kitchen counter. "I had to do something Dean… and this was what we could afford on our salaries. I mean, we couldn't keep living at Jim's."

Dean nodded, in agreement with his dad about that. "Wait dad, what do you mean our salaries?" Dean asked quirking an eyebrow at his dad again. This was definitely turning out to be a revealing trip.

"I didn't want to tell you until I was positive that I'd gotten it but I applied for a job as a night watchmen and janitor at the center downtown and well, I got it." John explained.

"Wow um…" Dean drifted off as he looked around wondering what it would be like should his dad be able to accomplish turning this place into theirs before the twins came.

"I figure that way, one of us will always be with him since you'll be working days and I'll be working nights." He added.

Dean nodded. "How long do you think it'll take you to redo this place?"

John shrugged. "I hope not too long but…" John was cut off by the sound of Dean's phone ringing.

Dean grabbed his cell out of his back pocket, looking at the caller ID. "It's Sam." He said before he flipped it open. "Hey kid," He smiled.

"Where are you?" Sam asked as he looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. It was just after three thirty and Dean had said that he got off work today at two thirty today… he should have been home by now.

"Ah, I'm with dad… why, what's up?" Dean asked.

"Um Steven wants to do a check-up…" Dean cut Sam off.

"Are you okay?" He asked making John look up and stare at Dean with a worried look on his face.

"What's wrong?" John mouthed silently causing Dean to shake his head as he silently told his dad to be quiet.

"Yeah, I'm fine but he just wants to check on 'em so when do you think you'll be home?" Sam asked again.

"I can leave right now and be there soon." Dean answered already heading for the door.

"Okay, I'll see you when you get home then… bye." Sam smiled, glad to know that Dean would be home soon and he hung the phone back up before he walked into the living room to lie down on the couch while he waited.

~DW/SW~

Dean flipped his phone shut and slipped it back into his pocket. "He says he's fine but apparently Steven wants to do an appointment or something so I'm gonna head home." Dean explained after seeing the questioning look on his dad's face. "You gonna be much longer?" He asked.

John shook his head. "I'll probably finish the section I was working on earlier and then head on home. What do you feel like for dinner?" He asked.

Dean shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me, just don't get steak okay… it ah, it doesn't really agree with Sam at the moment." They had found that out last night when Caleb had barbequed some steaks only to have Sam go running for the bathroom as soon as he had smelt them.

John nodded understanding that his son was now sensitive to certain kinds of foods. "'Kay, I'll see ya at home then." Dean nodded and began to walk out the door. "Oh and Dean…"

"Yeah dad?" Dean asked pausing in his steps.

"Do me a favor? Don't tell your brother 'bout this… I want to, 'kay?" John asked.

Dean nodded again hoping that when their dad told Sam about the house that it might help their relationship a bit. "Yeah sure, dad. Bye!" He called as he walked out the door.

~DW/SW~

Dean was almost home and just had one exit left when he saw the store that Steven had been talking about earlier. Looking at the clock, he saw that it read four o'clock and he bit his lip. _I'll just be in and out_ he thought as he pulled the car off to the side of the road and climbed out. A bell jingled when he opened the door and a matronly looking woman smiled and approached him. "Hi, how can I help you?" She asked.

_Oh boy, this is going to be interesting_ Dean thought as he blushed a little, wondering just how the hell he was going to phrase this because he really couldn't say, 'yeah, hi, I need something that'll help settle my brother's stomach… do you have anything', now could he? So he did what he always did in situations that he wasn't sure about as he turned on his most charming smile causing the woman to playfully swat his arm and tell him to follow her.

~DW/SW~

_Where the hell is he?_ Sam wondered as he stood in the living room, staring out the front window hoping to see Dean's or his dad's car pull into the driveway. Steven had told him earlier in the day that he thought now might be a good time to check on the twins again and see if they could tell just what he would be having. Sam was actually a bit excited about the prospect of finding out his babies' genders, this was the first time he'd been excited about anything in months and he felt disappointed that neither his dad nor brother was there with him right now.

Just as he was about to call his brother's cell again, he heard a car pull into the driveway but quickly realized it was his dad and not his brother as it was missing the distinctive roar. _Well, I guess one out of two's not bad_ he told himself as he tried not to get himself too worked up.

~DW/SW~

John was a bit surprised when he pulled into Jim's driveway and didn't see the Impala there. _That's weird _he noted knowing that Dean should have been home by now. His son had left a good forty-five minutes before he had. _Maybe he ran to the store to get something for Sam_ John thought, trying not to worry before he actually had proof that there was anything wrong.

"Hey, I'm home!" He called as he kicked his boots off and walked into the living room to see Sam sitting dejected in one of the big, cushy chairs. "Hey," He smiled walking over to his son, hoping and thinking that what he had to tell him might pick his spirits up a bit.

Sam looked up at his dad and nodded slowly. "Hi dad." He said softly.

"What's wrong?" John asked, taking a seat on the ottoman that went with the chair Sam was sitting on.

Sam stretched out a bit and put his feet in his dad's lap causing John to place a hand over them beginning to gently rub them. Sam's feet hadn't quite started to swell yet but John knew that they would get there, just like with everything else.

"Sam?" He asked when his son remained quiet.

"I…" Sam sniffled and looked away. "I… I wanted you guys here…"

"Here for what?" John asked concerned, praying that there hadn't been anything wrong with either one of the twins during the appointment. "Sammy, did your appointment go okay?" He asked.

"I didn't have it." Sam answered.

John looked confused. "Why not?"

"Be… because St… Steven said that… that we'd probably get to know if they were boys or girls or a mix and… and I wanted you and Dean to find out too but you guys didn't show up." Sam sobbed.

Alarm bells started to ring inside John's head as he realized that Dean hadn't been home at all. _Shit, shit, shit_ he thought as he immediately stood and went to go put his shoes back on. "Caleb!" He shouted. "Bobby!"

Caleb and Bobby both entered the living room and began to worry when they saw Sam in near-hysterics and John looking around frantically. "What's going on?" Caleb asked, looking back and forth between the two.

"Dean should have been home a good hour ago and he's not. I'm going to go look for him and I want someone else to do so too." He explained.

Sam stood and walked over to his dad. "I wanna go too." He said through his tears.

John looked at his son and shook his head. If something had happened to Dean, he didn't want Sam to be out there with them. "Sam, I'm sorry but I need you to stay here." John ordered.

"No dad, I need to go look for him." Sam argued. "What if… oh god," His tears returned and Caleb walked over to him, putting an arm around the teen's shoulders.

"He's fine, okay?" Caleb reassured. "C'mon, chances are he'll walk in here with a twelve pack and laugh at all of us for worrying so much."

Sam didn't laugh like Caleb had hoped he would. "What if the demons got him?" He asked.

Caleb sighed. "He wouldn't go down without a fight Sam, you know that."

Sam nodded.

"Did any of ya try to call him?" Bobby asked even as he grabbed the keys to his truck and headed towards the door.

Caleb immediately reached for his cell phone and dialed Dean's number. "He's not answering." He said when it went to voicemail which they all knew just wasn't right. Ever since the latest 'family meeting', Dean had pretty much kept his cell on him at all times.

Sam let out a muffled sob before he looked up and glared at his dad and Bobby. "Go!" He yelled, pointing to the door. "Why the hell aren't you moving?! Go, go, find him!" Sam moved out of Caleb's embrace and walked towards the window, his shoulders shaking as he prayed. _Please come home Dean, please be alright_ He pleaded silently as he crossed his fingers, wanting nothing more than to see the headlights of his brother's car and the tires kicking up gravel as he pulled into the driveway. Sam felt a harsh kick to his stomach and moved his hand to rub it gently. _He'll be okay_ Sam reassured his twins before he turned around, watching as his dad and Bobby headed out the door.

"They'll find him." Caleb reassured again as he watched the door close behind the two men before he walked over to Sam hoping that he would be right.

* * *

Hey! So, how was that? I know some of you are probably thinking I'm a tad bit evil for ending it on a cliff hanger but I'll try to fix that soon ;D Thanks again for reading and an extra cookie goes to everyone who sends me a review! But seriously, whether you do or not, I hope you enjoyed it. I'll try to update ASAP. :)


	17. Chapter 17

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter, see it didn't take too long to get up right? Thanks again for taking the time to read this and for all of your support, it truly does make the writing process a lot more fun (not that I don't enjoy it anyway ;P) Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter and I look forward to hearing what you thought of it.

Enjoy! :)

* * *

Sam stood by the window, praying and shaking as he felt his twins turn summersaults inside him, his ribs and kidneys taking the worst of it. By the power of their kicks and punches, it was obvious that they felt how distressed he was at the moment and were reacting to it. Deep down, Sam knew getting this worked up wasn't healthy for himself or for his babies but he couldn't bring himself to stop crying, not when he didn't know if his brother was alive and okay and on his way home or if he was hurt and in need of help somewhere. "Oh God, please let him be okay… please…" Sam muttered quietly, his hands in front of his face as if he were about to use them to shield himself from having to watch something horrible.

Caleb stood beside Sam, watching the tears that were streaming down the young man's face and he reached out a hand to gently place it on Sam's shoulder in a small form of reassurance. He retracted it immediately though when he felt Sam flinch and step away from him. _I'm not going to hurt you kid_ Caleb thought as he brought his hand back and folded his arms across his chest, anxiety jumping through his nerves with every minute that passed. Watching as Sam fell apart and realizing that he was in no mood for any kind of comfort, at least not from any of them, Caleb internally screamed, both at himself and at Dean, him for making Sam flinch and at Dean for causing Sam to become this worried.

Steven watched as Sam sobbed and shook for a moment before he strode over to the teen, knowing that for both Sam's sake and that of his twins, he needed to get him to calm down as soon as possible. The last thing he wanted was for Sam to get so stressed out that he put his health or the health of his babies in jeopardy. "Hey Sam," He started, hoping to reach the young man.

Sam blinked and wiped a hand across his eyes before he turned his head to look at Steven for a quick moment.

"I know you're upset but I need for you to calm down for me okay, Sam?" Steven said in a soothing voice, the one he used on patients to help guide them through the last bits of labor, especially if his patient had been alone.

Sam turned away from the window for a split moment, running a hand over his stomach trying to soothe the babies inside of him. Their movements were starting to wear him out a bit. "I can't calm down Steven!" Sam yelled, fear and worry evident in his voice. "Not… not 'til I know he's okay."

"You need to Sam. It isn't good for your twins, or yourself, to get this worked up. Now, come on, take a breath." Steven instructed taking a deep breath himself.

Sam shook his head, his bottom lip trembling and tears pouring down his face and hanging off his chin. "No…" He sniffled.

Steven sighed and left for a moment before he walked back over, a couple of tissues in his hand. "Here," He said softly.

"T… thanks," Sam whispered in a hitched voice as he took the tissues from Steven and wiped his eyes and nose.

Steven shook his head, brushing it off. "Come on, let's go sit down okay. Let's at least get you off your feet." Steven said gesturing to the couch and hoping that maybe if he worked in baby steps, Sam might respond better.

Seeing Sam hesitate, Caleb used the trump card as he rejoined the conversation. "Dean will flip and kill me if you're all stressed out when he comes home. Do you really want to sentence me to death?" He smiled softly.

After a moment, Sam bit his lip and nodded before he walked over to lie down on the couch. He sniffled again and placed his head on one of the cushions while he grabbed another, squeezing it to the point of strangulation against his chest needing to hold on to something but not ready to cling to anyone in the room. He thought that maybe if he had been calmer, he could have sat with Caleb but with how worked up he was at the moment, the only one he wanted, the only one he could stand was Dean.

Steven sighed feeling relieved that he had been able to get Sam settled on the couch and then he quickly went upstairs to retrieve his bag wanting to make sure that Sam's anxiety hadn't caused any harm to come to the babies inside him.

~DW/SW~

John drove back towards the house, trying to see if the Impala had broken down on the side of the road after Dean had left to head back to Jim's. _I would have seen it though_ he thought. "Come on, Dean, where are ya?" He asked as he scanned the roads knowing Bobby was doing the same on the town roads. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, John tugged his cell out of his pocket and dialed Dean's number again hoping that his oldest would pick up.

~DW/SW~

Dean felt his cell vibrate in his pocket and ignored it, just trying to keep his bleary eyes on the road as he yawned. He smiled as he finally pulled into Jim's driveway, thankful to be home and thinking about the shower and the food that had been waiting for him since he'd gotten off of work about three hours earlier. His stomach growled in anticipation. _Guess Dad's not done yet_ Dean thought as he pulled into Jim's gravel driveway and noticed that his dad's truck was missing.

Dean shut his car off and trudged up the front steps instantly noticing the tense atmosphere in the house as soon as he had unlocked the front door. He reached inside his jacket pocket and took out the gun he had hidden there, silently setting down the bag he had been holding. _Come out and play you demonic freak _he thought trying to prepare himself if there had been a home invasion while he'd been out. _You better pray Sam's okay _he thought fighting back the urge to scream his brother's name, not wanting to let any enemy know that he was there. Unsure of what was going on, he quietly closed the door behind him and took another step inside the house only to run headfirst into Caleb.

"Dean?" Caleb asked looking surprised as he checked him over and clicked the safety back on the 9mm he was holding.

"Yeah, dude, what's going on?" He asked feeling a little concerned about why Caleb had rushed over to the door and had been holding a loaded weapon aimed in his direction. Though he lowered his weapon, Dean kept the safety off. "Everybody's okay, right?" He asked trying to look up the stairs but not seeing anything.

Caleb nodded.

"Why do you have your gun out? Did something happen?" He asked.

Caleb shook his head as he answered. "Better safe than sorry." After another moment, he finally put his gun away, making Dean feel a lot better. If there had been an attack while he'd been gone, surely Caleb wouldn't have just put his piece away. Sighing a relieved breath, Dean did the same and picked his package up again.

It was then that Dean remembered that he had several missed calls and he wondered what important news he had missed while he'd been shopping. _Guess dinner's going to have to wait_ he resigned. "Did you guys try to call me?" He asked kicking his boots off and then moving them out of the way.

"Only about a half dozen times," Caleb answered as he continued to look at Dean weirdly.

"Why, what is it?" Dean asked, his concern growing by the minute. _Dammit! I knew I should have picked up! Please just tell me he's alright_ Dean thought as he kicked himself for not answering his phone even after knowing that Sam had called him only a short time before requesting his presence.

"Are you hurt?" Caleb asked in a strained voice as he made sure the front door was locked.

Dean shook his head confused at Caleb's behavior. "No, why would I be?"

"Jesus Dean!" Caleb huffed as he whacked Dean across the back of the head and let out a relieved breath.

"What the hell, dude?" Dean asked rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head.

"Caleb, who is it?" Jim asked as he walked into the front hall too, stopping a few feet away stunned to see Dean, seemingly unharmed. "Dean, thank God son."

Now Dean was seriously confused as to why everyone was so relieved to see him. "I know I'm awesome guys but you both look as if you haven't seen me in ages, what's going on?" He asked starting to get a bit annoyed as no one had answered his question yet.

Caleb shrugged. _I was right about one thing… he's gonna be making fun of us soon enough _he thought silently to himself glad to see that wherever Dean had been, he had escaped injury.

"We got a bit worried when you weren't home and then when you didn't answer your cell, we started to panic… both your dad and Bobby are actually out looking for you right now." Jim explained.

"I was at the store getting something for Sam." Dean replied wondering why they had been worried about his whereabouts.

Caleb let out a small laugh at the mention of the youngest Winchester. "Speaking of him… you're in for a shitload of trouble."

Dean quirked an eyebrow at his friend. "What do you mean?" He asked wondering what kind of mess he had unknowingly gotten himself in to.

"Go, you got a lot of kissing up to do." Caleb said with a final shove to Dean's shoulder, pushing him into the living room.

As he entered the dimly lit room, Dean spotted Sam lying on the couch, a pillow hugged to his chest and his eyes were closed. Steven was sitting next to him and he noticed that Steven's medical bag was out but when he remembered that Sam had had an appointment, he didn't think too much of it. Dean also realized that both of them looked tired and weary while Sam had tear tracks on his face. _Shit_ Dean internally groaned as he made his way over to the couch, feeling like a dog who had his tail tucked in between his legs. He sighed deeply when he saw that Sam was starting to wake up.

~DW/SW~

Sam turned his head to the side when he saw Caleb get up from his seat and walk towards the front door. He had heard a roar that was extremely similar to the Impala and it could have been Dean's car but that didn't mean Dean was driving it. Sam was thankful Steven had given him a light sedative just to help him relax a little because he was sure that until he had Dean standing in front of him in one piece, he wasn't going to be able to relax completely but at least his twins had settled down for now.

A moment or two after Caleb had left the room, Jim had also gotten up and left to go out into the hall and Sam tried to not think about what the secret whispers meant as he slipped a hand under his shirt, rubbing his stomach gently. He heard footsteps coming back into the room and pushed himself up a little, trying to steal himself for whatever Jim and Caleb were about to tell him about Dean's condition. _I don't care how many stitches he needs, just tell me he's going to be able to laugh at me again_ Sam thought. Needless to say, he was shocked when he saw his brother standing a few feet away from him and without a single scratch on him. His surprise quickly turned to anger though as he pushed himself all the way up off the couch and marched over to Dean, a scowl on his face.

"Hey Sam," Dean offered giving his brother a pitiful wave. He was not looking forward to what Sam's hormones had in store for him.

"Where the hell were you?!" Sam asked angrily and giving Dean's shoulder a powerful punch.

Dean sighed but then a scowl formed on his face as he rubbed his sore shoulder. He didn't know why his brother's panties were in a twist but it was annoying being yelled at for what he didn't know. "I was at the store." He answered gruffly.

Sam huffed. "You went to the store?" He asked.

Dean nodded.

Sam glared at his brother and shook his head before he let into him. "You said you were coming home! What the hell did you go to the store for? Do you have any idea how worried I was? No, course you don't because you're a big, thoughtless jerk!" Tears were forming in Sam's eyes. "I called you because I wanted you home but did you come home? No, you didn't so instead of getting to be a little bit happy for the first time in fucking forever, I get to stay behind worried out of my mind while everybody else goes to look for you because for all we know, you've been kidnapped or..." His rant was cut off when he felt a harsh kick to his stomach causing him to groan. "Ah… your uncle finally decided to get his stupid ass home so you two can chill for a bit, 'kay?" He snapped at his stomach.

Caleb and Jim shared a look before Caleb turned to Steven and mouthed, "He can feel 'em?" to which Steven nodded. Luckily, Caleb was bright enough to know not to ask Sam any questions about the matter just then.

Dean saw the grimace on his brother's face as he rubbed his stomach. "You okay?" He asked.

Sam turned to glare at Dean. "I'm dandy Dean, just dandy!" He retorted.

Dean shrugged and put his hands up in surrender. _Fucking hormones_ Dean thought, breathing through his nose, trying not to yell back at his brother. "I'm sorry Sam. I didn't mean to worry you." He apologized.

Sam sniffled and looked away, running a hand over his face glad to feel his twins settling down a little.

"I just went to pick something up." Dean continued glancing down at the bag that was hanging from his fingertips.

"What… what is it?" Sam asked after a moment, still with a bit of heat in his voice though.

Dean blushed a little before he shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing… I'll show you later, 'kay?" He really didn't want to show everyone what it was that he'd be bought or just what kind of store he'd been in. _Get used to it Winchester, you're going to be going there a lot_ he scolded himself as he chanced a quick look at his brother's belly.

Sam bit his lip and nodded before he headed back to the couch. Dean followed him and took a seat on the far end of the couch. "So, what's the news?" He asked.

"I don't know." Sam replied still not looking at his brother.

"Sam," Dean ground out. He really wasn't in the mood for his brother to play childish 'I'm not talking to you' games. "I said I was sorry, okay? Jesus Christ dude, pull the tampon out of your ass and get over it." He stood up only to be stopped by his brother's response.

"I'm serious Dean, I don't know because I didn't want to find out without you here." Sam answered choosing to ignore Dean's comment about him PMSing because technically, he kind of guessed in a strange way he was.

"Oh…" Dean paused. _Shit, well, if you had just said that then I would have come straight home_ he thought. "I'm sorry Sam, really man… I didn't realize you guys would get this freaked out over me being gone." He looked at his watch seeing that the time was seven thirty. "If ah… if you're still up to it, it's not too late, you know."

Sam nodded turning to Steven. "Do you mind?" He asked shyly.

Steven shook his head no. "No, not at all… I'll see you in a few, alright." He smiled a little.

Sam nodded again and headed up the stairs to his room to get ready for his appointment, feeling nervous but hopeful. _Wait… what about dad?_ He asked himself. Sam paused halfway up the stairs and turned back around. "Dean?" He called, watching as his brother's head poked around from the edge of the staircase.

"Yeah?" He replied after swallowing the mouthful of food in his mouth.

"Um… could you do me a favor?" He asked.

Dean nodded.

"Call dad… and tell him to get home, please? I'd… I'd really like it if he were here too." _And besides, he needs to know that he doesn't need to be combing the streets for you_ he silently added.

Dean nodded again, grabbing his cell out of his pocket and punching in his dad's number.

~DW/SW~

John was a little startled when his cell rang but he hurried to get it, hoping it was either Dean telling him where he was or Bobby saying he'd found his kid. "What?" He snapped into the phone not bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Ah dad…" Dean drifted off, wondering how much trouble he was going to be in.

"Dean? Where are you? Are you hurt?" John asked, firing off his questions in rapid succession.

Dean rolled his eyes. _One question at a time dude_ he thought as he answered. "I'm fine… I'm at home and ah… I'm calling because Sammy wants you to get home like yesterday."

"Is he alright?" John asked concerned, thinking back to how upset his youngest had been before he'd left.

"Yeah, he's pretty pissed at me but he's okay. I guess this appointment he's having is a big one and he wants us both there for it." Dean explained.

John nodded knowing why today was considered to be a big one in his youngest son's opinion. He turned his truck around and gunned it for Jim's place. "I'll be home soon." He said before hanging up and quickly calling Bobby to let him know that the search had been called off.

~DW/SW~

After Dean had hung up the phone with his dad, both he and Steven had made their way up the stairs together. "He is okay, right?" Dean asked quietly as they made their way down the hall. Somehow, he trusted the doctor more to tell him the truth about his brother's condition than he did Sam.

Steven nodded. "He's just excited."

Dean quirked his brow; he hadn't really been expecting to hear that. It wasn't that he wasn't glad to see Sam actually looking forward to something instead of looking like he was dreading every minute of every day but he just couldn't figure out what all the hullabaloo was about.

"I told him I think I might be able to tell the sexes today." Steven explained when he saw the curious look on Dean's face.

"Right…" Dean drifted off after remembering that Sam had asked about it a couple of weeks ago at his last appointment. "Hey ah Sammy, you decent?" He called knocking on their door.

"Yeah, you guys can come in now." Sam called back as he stood beside his bed, neatly folding his clothes into separate piles. He turned around when he heard the door close and Dean smiled a bit when he saw his brother trying to keep from smiling. It was obvious Sam was trying to hide his feelings but Dean thought that should they be able to see the twins today, his brother might have a bit of a hard time controlling himself and he figured that he wouldn't mind seeing a few 'happy tears' for once.

Sam got himself situated on his bed, waiting while Steven pulled out what he needed.

Dean walked over and took a seat beside his brother.

"Where's dad?" Sam asked a couple of minutes later.

"Don't worry, I called him. He's on his way home now." Dean reassured.

Sam nodded.

Steven got the ultrasound machine turned on but left it in the corner as he walked over to the bed. "So, anything new you wanna tell me about?" He asked delaying doing the ultrasound a little bit since John wasn't home yet.

Sam shook his head, feeling slightly embarrassed as he always did when it was time for this part of his exam. He didn't really like talking about his changing body all that much and revealing to others what it was he was going through. Steven did know about Sam's problem with the breast milk and was the only one who knew that Sam had actually started to use the breast pump as there was no way in hell he was letting his brother find out that he needed it at least once a week. "No, not really." He answered hesitatingly. "Er well… there is something, I guess…" Sam drifted off and his embarrassment about whatever it was he had to say was obvious.

"What is it?" Steven asked while Dean shot his a brother a curious but concerned look.

"It's just…" Sam's cheeks flushed red and he scowled. "Can I ah… can we talk about this later?" He asked looking up at Steven.

Steven nodded causing Dean to frown. Since when did Sam find it easier to talk to a stranger rather than his own brother? That was so not cool. "Hey Sam, you know whatever it is that's bothering you… you can say it in front of me. I won't laugh, I promise."

Sam bit his lip, feeling unsure as he remembered how Dean had laughed at him when they'd found out that he might be able to produce breast milk.

"Are you hurting?" Dean asked concerned when Sam still remained quiet.

After a moment, Sam nodded a little.

"Where?" Dean and Steven asked simultaneously.

Sam blushed beat red and right as he was about to answer, there was a knock on the door. "Boys?" John called.

Dean looked at his brother. "Do you want him to come in?" He asked quietly.

Sam nodded so Dean got up and walked over to the door.

Steven took the chance and leaned down close to Sam whispering, "Is it a burning pain in your groin area?" He asked seriously.

Sam looked confused for a moment, having forgotten that he'd told them and then he nodded yes, dropping his gaze.

"Okay, I think I know what the problem is alright." He smiled reassuringly.

"You… you do?" Sam asked squirming around a little bit on the bed.

Steven nodded. "I can go run a cold bath for you right now if you want and we can do the appointment later." He suggested.

Sam quickly shook his head no. "No, please, I wanna find out." He pleaded just as his dad and brother walked back over to the bed.

"Alright then," Steven replied reminding himself to write up a prescription for Sam too.

John quirked an eyebrow at Sam and Steven, noticing that they were whispering to each other about something. "Everything okay?" He asked.

Sam turned so he was lying flat on his back and pulled his shirt up, exposing his bump and nodded. "Hi dad" He said quietly.

"Hey Sam," John replied without really looking at his son. John's eyes widened in shock when he saw his son's naked torso up close and personal for the first time in a while. _I'm sorry Sam but that just… that has got to be the weirdest thing I have ever seen_ John thought, fighting hard to keep his mouth from gaping open like a fish out of water.

Having gone to all of Sam's appointments with him and having slept beside him for the past couple of months, Dean was not quite as shocked as his dad was at the sight of Sam's pregnant belly but still… it was always a little bit jarring whenever he saw it. Knowing his brother's routine, Dean walked up to the head of the bed and slipped his hand inside Sam's. "You ready?" He asked, knowing that sometimes the ultrasound made his brother a bit nervous.

Sam nodded.

Steven grabbed the bottle of gel from the nightstand and squirted some on his hands before placing it on Sam's stomach. "Sorry." He apologized when Sam shivered a bit. He knew that there was a way to warm it up but unfortunately, with him being out of the hospital and in someone's home, it made it a bit more difficult to accomplish.

"It's okay… I'm kind of used to it now, I guess." He shrugged before he switched his gaze over to the black and white screen. "Can you tell?" Sam asked, hope in his voice.

"I think so." Steven said as he moved the wand closer to baby A, the baby that was resting in the top part of Sam's abdomen, underneath his rib cage. He smiled a bit when he saw that yes indeed, he would be able to tell Sam at least one of the babies' genders. "You really want to know?" He asked for clarification one last time.

Sam nodded, squeezing Dean's hand tightly. "Yeah, please, I do… I really do."

Steven nodded. "Okay then." But then he glanced up at Dean and John. "What about you two, do you two care if you know or do you want it to be a surprise?"

"Whatever he wants." John answered and Dean nodded in agreement.

"Alright then, I'm proud to say that baby A is a baby girl." He smiled, watching as tears filled the young man's eyes.

Sam's eyes widened as he reached forward and gently placed his hand on the side of his stomach, avoiding the gel. "A… a girl?" He asked quietly, tears starting to form. "Are… are you sure?"

Steven nodded. "Yup. See, here she is right here." He said pointing out the baby girl's arms, legs and head. "She looks good."

Sam was quiet for a moment before he turned to Dean, a slightly panicked look on his face. "Dean… what in the hell am I going to do with a girl? I don't know anything about what she's going to need to know!" Sam exclaimed as he thought about how he didn't know the first thing about doing hair or anything like that and he highly doubted that anybody else in his family did either.

_You got that right_ Dean thought wondering what the hell a bunch of burly hunters were supposed to do with a baby girl. The idea of having a girl in their little family seemed extremely foreign to him and by the look on his dad's face, he was sure he wasn't alone on that. "I don't know either Sam but we'll figure it out, alright?" He encouraged because seriously, how hard could braiding hair be?

Sam swallowed thickly and nodded, seeming to think that over. _A girl… I don't know what the hell it is I'm supposed to do with you but…_ he was cut off when he felt a kick where his hand was. _Yeah, hi to you too_ he silently replied.

"So, shall we find out if baby B's gotten any braver?" Steven asked.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, yeah, yes, please… I please?" He asked wondering what he was going to do if both of his babies turned out to be girls. One girl was already making him freak out, he wasn't sure how he'd handle twice that. Secretly, he was hoping for a boy. _You're leaving_ he reminded himself, still not convinced that him sticking around would be the best or safest option. As Steven moved the wand lower on his stomach, he quickly glanced up to look at his family, a small smile forming inside him when he saw that both of them had suspiciously wet eyes. _See what you reduce us to, little girl_ he asked before he returned his eyes to the fuzzy, black and white screen seeing the second baby inside him.

"Congrats Sam, you're getting one of each." Steven congratulated. "It's a boy."

"Well, at least we'll know what to do with this one." Dean commented.

Steven paused a moment, watching the small family and missing his own. He cleared his throat before he asked, "Sam, would you like me to print you out a couple of pictures?"

"You… you can do that?" Sam asked quietly.

Steven nodded and hit a button on the ultrasound machine before moving the wand back up to the top part of Sam's stomach and printing a picture of Sam's baby girl as well. "Here you go." He said handing the two black and white pictures to the young teen.

"Th… thank you." Sam whispered before the flood gates opened and he cried openly. Steven handed Dean a towel which he used to quickly wipe the gel off his brother's stomach and then he pulled Sam close, shushing him a bit. "Hey, this is good news, right? I thought you wanted to know." He smiled a little, pulling back after a minute and wiping his thumb under Sam's eyes. Not wanting the photos to get crushed, Dean gently took them from his brother and placed them on the nightstand beside Sam's bed.

Sam sniffled a little. "I… I know it's good news."

In a sense, John understood why his youngest was crying and he walked closer to the bed, taking a seat on Sam's empty side, his eyes lingering on the ultrasound photos. John thought that they looked just as Sam and Dean's photos had, especially the one of Sam's son sucking his thumb. Dean had been caught doing that, he remembered. He had surprised himself by being a bit emotional when he'd found out what Mary had been pregnant with too he thought as he watched Sam cry. _Shit Mary, what the hell do I do with a girl_ he silently asked his wife. John just shot Dean a look that said he was just as much for a loss of words as Sam was.

Sam bent his head a little bit and let the tears flow, feeling himself being tugged back towards his brother's chest. He reached a hand up and clung to Dean's shirt, burying his face in the soft fabric. _I have a son… and a daughter _he thought to himself before a darker thought entered his mind. _They're not yours, not yet_ he heard in a dark voice that he swore didn't belong to himself.

"Man, dude, they're strong little tykes." Dean said breaking into his brother's thoughts and causing Sam to nod.

"They're kicking?" John asked, finally speaking up for the first time since Steven had announced the sexes.

Sam nodded, looking down at his stomach and where his hand joined his brother's. "Dad?" He asked shyly.

"Yes Sam?" John replied trying to hide his surprise at seeing Dean's hand resting comfortably and rubbing tender circles on Sam's stomach.

"Do you um… do you want to?" He asked looking from his dad to his stomach.

John bit his lip and hesitated before he thought _what's the harm?_ It wasn't as if his son had some contagious, dangerous, deadly disease. Slowly, he reached his hand out and placed it next to Dean's.

"Wait," Sam ordered and a moment later, John felt the kick and he had to take a deep breath all the while thinking _that could be my grandkid in there_. He knew Sam was trying to find a ritual to change the twins into humans and man, he hoped Sam was successful because the idea of Sam having sex with anybody in the house was something he really didn't want to consider. Feeling another kick, John smiled and then pulled his hand away. "Wow…" He drifted off feeling somewhat speechless.

Dean pulled his hand away too and sat back a little. "You okay?" He asked seeing that his brother was still crying a little.

After several minutes had passed, Sam looked back up and wiped a hand across his face. "I'm happy… these are happy tears." He explained silently adding _I didn't think I'd ever be able to be happy again_.

Dean and John both smiled a little, they were both glad to hear Sam looking up at things for once instead of worrying. Silently, they agreed to wait to tell Sam about John's new job and the house when they saw Sam yawn and his eyes start to close.

"You look tired, I guess we should let you get some sleep." John said as he stood.

Dean nodded and stood as well. "I'll be in soon, okay? I just gotta go eat first." He said patting his stomach as it growled loudly.

Sam nodded and watched as the three men headed towards the door. "Kay, night guys." He smiled softly and rolled over to lie on his side staring at the black and white photos looking back at him. _Good night my babies_ he thought before falling asleep and forgetting about the pain in his groin.

* * *

Hey! So, how was that? I hope you liked it and I promise next chapter, will have Sam finding out about the house and John's job... I just had to end the chapter somewhere and thought that this seemed like a good place to do that.

Oh, and to those of you who gave me suggestions on what genders the twins should be, thank you! They were all very helpful :) And of course, a big thank you goes out to everyone who read the chapter! Whether you decide to send me a review or not (I would love it if you did), I hope you enjoyed it and I will try to update soon. :)


	18. Chapter 18

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter of Sammy's little pregnancy journey. I hope you will enjoy it and I look forward to hearing from you! I wouldn't expect the next chapter to come so quickly as I feel that I have to update Into the Real World next, I just had the ideas for this one going and wanted to write them down before I lost them and what do you know... a chapter was produced :P

I hope nobody minds that I took a little liberty with a certain medical *problem* of Sammy's and probably exagerated it quite a bit... oh well, we get more limp!Sam that way so anyways, enjoy the chap! :)

* * *

Dean woke up in the middle of the night to hear his brother moaning. By the loud grunts and groans Sam was making, it sounded like he was in a great deal of pain. _Dammit, not another one_ he thought as he set to work, hoping that he would able to wake Sam up quickly. Dean hated it when Sam had nightmares about the afternoon when he was trapped and raped. He hated the way his brother would curl into himself and his body would shake uncontrollably with tears pouring down his face as he pleaded for someone, anyone, to come make it stop.

Dean used to think that if he ever got a time machine, the one event he would go back and stop would be his mom's death but now, he wasn't so sure about that. Now, he thought he'd go back in time and accompany his brother on that walk because he was positive that if he had been there, that demon would have been sent back to hell before it had even taken its first step towards Sam.

Dean hated what that one incident had done to his brother and how that one cruel act had made him such an empty shell of the person he used to be. Sam used to be happy and snarky and stubborn… now, his brother was quiet and shy and sad. _No, he said he was happy_ Dean corrected himself, thinking that maybe things could turn around from here. He knew that Sam wasn't 'over' it but he hoped that if Sam could be happy about one thing then maybe he could make his brother be happy about more things going on in his life. Hearing a pain-filled groan from his brother brought Dean out of his thoughts and back to the task at hand.

"Sammy, wake up kid, wake up," He said gently shaking his brother, realizing only a second later that Sam was sweating up a storm. _Shit_ Dean thought, thinking that this had to be the worst one yet.

"H…hurts…" Sam moaned as he moved about a bit on the bed. "Please help me…"

_I'm trying_ Dean silently told his brother as he shook him again. "Come on Sammy, wake up!" He shouted a little louder this time. "Come on, you're safe here, kid. It's time to wake up…"

Suddenly, Sam gasped and his eyes opened as his hands shot downwards to his crotch. "De… Dean…" He stuttered, a grimace on his face.

Dean leaned over, placing himself in his brother's view. "Hey, hey, it's okay." He cooed wiping some of his brother's tears away. "Shh, it's over now."

Sam let out another pain-filled groan as he moved his head from side to side. "I… I think you'd better go get Steven." He grunted out.

Not sure what was going on but realizing that his brother needed help immediately, he nodded and sprang up off the bed. "I'll be right back." He said before he headed out of the room and ran towards Steven's room, the one at the very end of the hall. "Steven, man, you gotta come quick!" He yelled as soon as he had thrust the door open.

Steven opened his sleep-tired eyes and stared at the fuzzy figure standing in his doorway. "Dean?" He asked sounding surprised and a bit groggy as he reached over onto the nightstand to grab his glasses.

"Something's wrong with Sam." Dean said urgently before dashing back to his and Sam's bedroom.

Hearing the panicked tone to Dean's voice, Steven woke instantly. He threw back the covers and followed Dean. Sam was lying on his side, his knees pulled to his chest and he could hear the teen groaning loudly. "Hey Sam, I need you to tell me what's wrong." He said in his 'doctor' voice as he quickly made his way over to the bed and crouched beside Sam.

Sam swallowed and let out a breath before he answered. "It's gotten worse." Sam looked at Steven pleadingly. "You said you could fix it."

Steven quirked an eyebrow for a moment before the light bulb went off. He nodded, silently telling Sam that he would be able to make him feel better. "Dean, I need you to go and get me a wet washcloth, cold preferably, alright?" He ordered looking up at the older brother for a split second before he turned back to his patient.

Dean nodded and hurried to the bathroom, opening the medicine cabinet and taking out a washcloth.

"You're gonna be okay Sam alright? I just need you to hang in there for me." Steven reassured.

Sam nodded, closing his eyes and breathing through his nose trying to somehow distract himself from the immense pain coming from his rear-end. "What is it?" Sam asked. "What's wrong with me?"

"I'm pretty sure you've got a hemorrhoid." He explained as he opened Sam's bedside cabinet and grabbed a fresh pair of gloves.

_Oh, right, I read about those_ he recalled vaguely. "Are…" Sam sniffled. "They're not hurting right?" Sam asked, chewing his bottom lip worriedly. "This… this isn't going to hurt them, right?"

Steven shook his head. "No, this shouldn't affect them at all."

"Good," Sam groaned as he moved trying to find some position that would take the pain away but not succeeding. "It feels like there's a hot coal inside me or something."

"I know but we'll fix that, alright. Now, I need you to help me out a bit here, okay?" Steven said, wondering how his patient would react to the necessary request.

~DW/SW~

Dean was on his way back to his room when his dad's door opened and John came out, looking a bit startled.

"Dean, what's going on?" John asked as he followed his son back to the bedroom catching a glimpse of Sam lying on the bed. His son appeared to be crying. _What…?_ He asked himself. _And why is Steven here?_

Steven looked up and saw the two other Winchesters entering the room. "I'm pretty sure he has a hemorrhoid… they're usually a cluster of veins that have become swollen and are not uncommon during pregnancy." Steven explained quickly. "Thanks." He said taking the washcloth from Dean.

After he handed the washcloth to Steven, Dean made his way to the front of the bed so he could face his brother. "Hey," He cooed cupping Sam's cheek in his hand and gently stroking it with his thumb, remembering that Sam seemed to find that one particular action comforting. "I know it hurts but we'll get it fixed, 'kay?"

Sam was biting his lip and his eyes were ducked with his bangs plastered to his forehead. "He says… I gotta… gotta take my pants off." Sam cried and Dean could hear the fear in his brother's voice.

He knew Steven's request was a normal reasonable one, a needed one but he could also understand where his brother was coming from. _Poor kid_ he sighed to himself. Dean leaned forward and wiped the tears away with his thumb. "Shh, you're safe here Sam." He promised. "I'm right here, okay? And Steven's a good guy, he won't hurt you."

"P… promise?" Sam asked as he glanced back at Steven watching as he rolled the washcloth to get a somewhat pointy tip to one of the edges.

Dean nodded. "Promise, 'kay?"

_It hurts so bad, I've gotta do something _Sam thought to himself. _And Dean and dad are here, it'll be okay. _After a moment Sam nodded and he rolled a bit taking his pajama pants and boxers off but keeping the covers over him. He tensed when he felt Steven remove the covers so his backside was exposed. Feeling the sudden rush of cold air on his bare skin caused a whimper to escape from him. He placed one hand clenched tightly on top of the covers to prevent any more of it from falling and stared at his brother, trying to draw some strength and reassurance from having Dean beside him.

Steven looked up for a moment and mouthed 'distract him' before he set to work.

Dean nodded as he wrapped his arms around his brother's upper body and pulled him forward slightly, making it so Sam's face was tucked against his neck. "I've got you." He reassured when he felt Sam's fingers dig into his arms. "Shh, it's okay."

Seeing that this was as clear an opening as he was going to get as far as Sam being distracted, he pulled Sam's cheeks back trying to see as much as he could. _Dammit_ he thought when he saw how red and inflamed Sam was. He didn't know how it had slipped past him after Sam's appointment last night. He was just glad that they'd caught it now. Steven pressed the cold washcloth to Sam's reddened hole, hoping to be able to take some of his patient's pain away. He tried to pack as much of it as he could against the inflamed area causing Sam to flinch away, from both the feel of something against his entrance and just the fact that the cloth was ice cold.

Dean could feel Sam's tears against his neck and heard his brother's hitched breathing. He placed a hand on the small of Sam's back, trying to rub some of the pain away. "Dad and I have some good news for you." He smiled and John took the final few steps to the bed and squatted beside Dean.

"Hey Sammy," John said softly reaching out and placing his hand on top of his son's head where it peaked out from between the covers and Dean's shoulder.

Sam sniffled, squeezing Dean's bicep harder as he felt Steven work. Even though Steven's administrations were gentle and nothing compared to the bruising grip of his attacker, it still brought back the memories of having unwanted hands on him. Sam squeezed his eyes shut and a muffled sob came from him. _This is nothing like that_ he told himself. _They're trying to help you, not hurt you._ "H… hi dad." He whispered through his tears wondering if his dad would be upset that he was being such a drama king.

"Shh, Sam, it's okay." Dean soothed. _You wanna tell him, go ahead_ Dean silently ordered as he pulled back a little bit from his brother so Sam could their dad a little easier. "Shh, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere." He reassured when Sam's grip tightened on him.

"What would you say if I told you that I bought us a house?" John asked, deciding to just come out with it.

Sam opened his eyes and sniffled again. "You did what?" He asked, surprise in his voice and tears still slowly leaking down his cheeks.

John smiled. He was glad that this time he could tell his son the truth about what he'd been up to. "I bought a house… for all of us." He said watching as Sam's gaze turned towards his brother. "It's not far from here."

Dean saw the look of disbelief on his brother's face and decided to add in his own two cents. "He's not lying… I saw it earlier. It kind of looks uninhabitable right now but Dad swears he's going to have it ready for us by the time these two come." He said, his eyes flicking to Sam's stomach.

"Why?" Sam asked looking back at his dad.

John looked puzzled for a moment before he answered. "I just… I thought that maybe we could use a place of our own."

Sam nodded seeming to have accepted his dad's answer. _But for how long_ he thought as he bit his lip, another groan escaping him even if the pain wasn't as bad as it had been only a few minutes ago. "What's… what's it look like?" He asked.

"It's a dump right now but it's got two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen and a living room and a good sized yard." John said describing the place he'd bought. "I hope you boys don't mind sharing some more."

Sam and Dean both shook their heads no plenty used to sharing a room by now. _Even if there were enough rooms for all of us, we'd still share_ Sam thought knowing that sleeping on his own nowadays was something that he just wasn't comfortable with.

"What…" Sam paused as he breathed deeply. "What kind of neighborhood?"

"It's kind of by itself… I mean, there are houses nearby but they're not right next to us so we've got some privacy." John answered. That had been one of things he had originally liked about the place. The big yard offered privacy for Sam to hang outside if he wanted to without having to fear being seen by nosy neighbors and they wouldn't have to worry about questions about Sam's oddly shaped stomach. And later on, if they did decide to stay at the house, it could be a good place to practice weapons training without worrying about putting a bullet through the neighbor's window.

"That'll be something new." He replied breathing slowly and focusing on the conversation. The closest he had overcome to living in an actual home were the times they stayed with Jim or Bobby and even then, the time had usually been spent recuperating from a hunting injury or learning how to handle some new weapon. Hardly ever was it for familial purposes.

"Yeah, and that's not the half of it." Dean continued with a grin on his face as he watched the questions form on his brother's face. He was glad that they could take Sam's mind off of the pain he was in, even if it was only for a little while.

"What… what do you mean?" He asked shaking his head a little to get his bangs out of his eyes.

"Dad got a job… no more credit card scams, he's legal now." Dean snickered a bit at his innuendo even as he reached out and brushed his brother's bangs back.

"You're kidding me!" Sam exclaimed, a small smile tugging on his face.

"Nope." John shook his head, a proud smile on his face even if he was a little offended that his son hadn't thought that that was something that he would do or be capable of. "I start next week."

"Doing what?" Sam asked curiously.

"I'm a security guard and janitor." John grinned at the look of shock on his son's face. "It's a night job."

"Oh." He said softly. _That's good_ he thought, not really wanting to be completely without either his dad or brother for an entire day. As much as he liked Caleb and Jim and even Steven, they weren't his brother or dad and he liked having at least one of them around.

"Hey Sam," Steven interrupted.

"Yeah," Sam said turning his head slightly to look back at his doctor.

"How's your pain now?" He asked.

Sam thought for a moment. "It's ah… it's better. I mean, I can still feel it but it's not… I don't feel like I'm going to die anytime soon." Sam answered.

"Good, I'm glad we got you to be more comfortable." He smiled a little. "Okay, we could try sitting in the tub… do you want to try that or go back to sleep?" He asked knowing that he wouldn't be able to give Sam any medication for the hemorrhoid till the next day.

Sam yawned, giving his answer and causing Steven to stand and pull his gloves off. "Okay, I think we're done here for tonight then. Ah, Dean, I'll write up the prescription for him and then tomorrow on your way home, can you pick it up please?" Steven asked.

Dean nodded as Sam let go of him and rolled further under the covers, fixing his pajamas. "Yeah, sure." He'd do anything for his brother.

~DW/SW~

The next morning Sam woke, glad that while he could still feel the hemorrhoid, it wasn't nearly as painful as it had been the previous night. He was hoping that Dean might come home early with the special cream that Steven had told them about. Yawning and stretching, he lied on his back for a few minutes as his hands drifted downwards to his stomach. _I guess you guys are still sleeping_, _hunh_ he thought as he rubbed his swollen tummy.

As Sam thought about the babies inside him – his son and daughter, tears sprung to his eyes. "I don't know what to do…" He whispered. "And I doubt I'll be a good daddy. I mean, I can't even look out for myself and babies get into everything. How am I going to make sure you two stay safe when I can't even watch my own back? I've never changed a diaper or held a baby either… knowing me, I'm probably going to drop one of you." Sam sniffled and wiped the tears from his eyes. "You guys would be lucky to have Dean as a dad… he'd… he's the best and even though I can sort of remember what he did when I was little, I don't think it will help me be any better. And your grandpa too… god, I'm so glad they're here, I'm pretty sure that without them, I would fail you two miserably." _If I haven't already that is_ he silently added. "What I'm trying to say is that I have no idea what I'm doing here and I hope you guys will forgive me someday."

~DW/SW~

John had been about to knock on his son's bedroom door, wanting to know if Sam was feeling any better or if there was anything he needed when he'd heard Sam talking softly to someone. As he continued to eavesdrop, he realized just who his son was speaking to. _He's talking to them?!_ Though he'd seen the smile on his son's face the previous evening when Sam had learned he'd be having a boy and a girl and he had seen Sam rubbing his stomach quite a bit over the past few weeks, he hadn't thought Sam was trying to connect with them… not on that level, at least. _Sam_ John thought with a sigh when he heard his son say that he doubted he'd be a good dad. _No Sam, no, don't think that_ he silently told his boy convinced that even at his young age and under these strange, strange circumstances, his son would be a great dad. Heaving a sigh, John knocked on the door. "Ah Sam, it's dad. Can I come in?" He called.

A moment or two passed before he heard a muffled 'yeah'. John opened the door and stepped into the room, closing the door behind himself. "How ya doing?" He asked pausing a few feet from the bed, realizing that Sam was in Dean's bed. He kept his observation to himself.

"Better." Sam answered trying to wipe away the evidence of his tears.

"That's good." John nodded, running a hand through his hair.

"You going somewhere?" Sam asked, motioning to the tool belt in his dad's hand.

John followed Sam's gaze and bit his lip, nodding. "Yeah, gonna go work on the house for a little bit."

Sam nodded, a strange silence surrounding them for the next several minutes before Sam spoke. "Why'd you buy it dad?" He asked without any contempt in his voice. Sam was simply curious why his dad had suddenly chosen to maybe settle down.

John sighed and walked the few extra feet to sit on what was normally Sam's bed. "I wanted to do something for you… to make this easier on you and I thought that maybe if you knew that we'd actually have a place, a home, and wouldn't have to worry about where we would be spending the night, then maybe you might be able to relax a bit." He explained, unsure if his son would believe him or not. Sam and he didn't have the best relationship. "Plus, I think your mother would kill me for not providing a place for her grandbabies."

Sam was quiet as he stared off in the opposite direction, his mind asking him questions he didn't have answers to. Slowly, tears filled his eyes again and spilled down his cheeks. "What am I gonna do?" He asked, seeming no one in particular.

John was quiet, unsure of how to respond to Sam's question and not knowing how receptive his son would be to anything he had to say.

"What am I gonna do, dad?" Sam turned back to his dad, his eyes pleading with him to say something. "I don't know what to do… I don't know how to be a dad." Sam brought his hands up to his face and began sobbing. He didn't have any money, he didn't have a job, and he hadn't been able to finish his schooling… Sam was scared, downright terrified at what his limited options were.

_Sammy…_ John thought before he moved to sit beside his son. Slowly and hesitantly, he reached forward and pulled Sam to him, cradling Sam to his chest wondering if his son would try to pull away from him. He was surprised when Sam didn't and instead reached a hand up to wrap it around a section of his dad's shirt. It took John a stunned moment to respond. "Shh, shh, it's gonna be okay Sam." He reassured, hesitantly placing one of his hands on the back of his son's head, his fingers combing through Sam's dark locks. John quietly shushed his son as he rocked him, back and forth. A little while later, he pulled back and swiped a thumb underneath his son's eyes. "No one knows how to be a parent Sam… you just love your kid and try to do the best you can." John said, smiling a little as he thought back to the first time he'd found out he was going to be a parent and just how terrified he had felt. He couldn't even imagine what his son was going through. "And it's normal to be scared and have doubts… every parent does."

"Did you?" Sam asked as he sniffled a little. He was surprised that he had felt comfortable with his dad's arms around him.

"Oh yeah," John nodded, smiling and laughing a little. "I remember your mom… she was so excited when we found out but me, I was scared shitless." He admitted.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Well because I'd never been around babies before, I wasn't making very much money… lots of things. I didn't know what to expect." John explained. "Your mom though… she taught me everything and assured me that I wouldn't drop you guys, that I wouldn't make your diapers too tight or your bottles too warm."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Sam said quietly.

"You might make some mistakes Sam, every parent does but you just try to learn from them and do the best you can." John reassured. "I'm sure you'll do a better job at it than I have."

"Dad…" Sam sighed looking up at the man.

"I know that I haven't been father of the year material since well… a long time but…" John drifted off. He wasn't all that good with words.

"You did the best you could." Sam offered. "I know I've given you a hard time over the years but I'm kind of realizing it's not easy being a single parent." _And mine aren't even here yet _Sam thought as he moved a hand down to his stomach, feeling a small kick. _Good morning baby_.He offered his dad a small, sad smile.

John let out a huff as he thought back to all the years he had under his belt as a single parent, especially in the beginning when he'd had an infant and a preschooler who had desperately needed and wanted their mommy who was no longer going to be around. "The toughest job I've ever had." John agreed thinking that being in the marines had been nothing compared to trying to raise his two sons out on the open road with no one around to show him what it was he was doing wrong and what it was that he was actually getting right. He kind of figured that he had done a lot more wrong compared to what it was he'd actually done right.

"You're not going to be alone Sam." He said, his face serious and determined. He wasn't sure about much nowadays, but one thing he was certain about was that Sam would have whatever it was he wanted or needed to get through this. "We're all going to be right there beside you okay? We'll show you the ropes but I'm pretty confident that the second you hold them, your instinct is going to take over and you'll do just fine, son, you'll do just fine."

Sam nodded, trying to believe in his dad's confidence. "Thank you dad." He whispered, tears pricking his eyes once again and a small smile on his face.

~DW/SW~

Dean walked into his and Sam's room later that night, freshly showered and in his pajamas. He threw the towel he'd used to dry off with into the hamper and then collapsed tiredly on his bed, feeling Sam snuggle up against him. He raised one of his arms and waited for Sam to cuddle up next to him, a sleepy smile on his face.

"You never showed me." Sam whispered a couple minutes later.

"Hunh?" Dean asked tiredly and unsure what his brother was talking about.

"You bought something yesterday… you never showed me what it was." Sam explained.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Dean said as he stood and walked over to his dresser, hitting the light switch on his way over. He grabbed the plastic bag from the top of his dresser and walked back to his bed, sitting beside Sam. "Here, hope you like it." He said handing the package to Sam with a smile on his face.

Sam smiled when he took the bag from his brother and reached inside, feeling something large and square shaped along with a smaller object. _Hunh_ he thought before he pulled his hand out and saw that he'd grabbed the smallest object. "What is this?" He asked curiously.

"It's ah… it's this special kind of body lotion… it's supposed to help with stretch marks and stuff like that. The lady said it was relaxing." Dean answered.

Sam nodded blushing a little at the thought of his brother thinking he had stretch marks. He placed the circular shaped tub on his nightstand and reached back into the bag, excited to see what else Dean had bought for him. When he pulled his hand back out, he realized Dean had purchased the book Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. "Dean…" He sighed, deeply touched by his brother's thoughtfulness.

Dean shrugged, a sheepish smile on his face and his cheeks tinged red with embarrassment. "I ah… I thought it would be good, ya know? I mean, all the books and stuff say that they're at that point where they can hear us so I thought that maybe one of us could read it to 'em?" He rambled.

Sam clutched the book to his chest and felt tears prick his eyes. _Can't I be happy without crying?!_ He asked himself feeling slightly frustrated at his emotions. "Thank you." He whispered a moment later. "I love it."

Dean shrugged again. "Of course knowing that they're your kids, they'll probably come out knowing how to read and think that that book is way too easy." He smirked. "Be reading Shakespeare and other fancy shit by the time they're two."

Sam laughed a little as he placed the book on the nightstand before he turned back to his brother. "Maybe you could read it to them sometime?" He asked shyly.

"Sure Sammy, I'll read to the brats if you want." Dean smiled slinging his arm back over his brother's waist.

* * *

Hey! So, how was that? I hope you liked it and I look forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions! Continued thanks goes out to everyone who is reading this story, your support really does mean a lot to me so thank you for sticking with this very whacky concept of a story! I'll try to update soon but ITRW comes first this time around, I think. Thanks again everybody! :)


	19. Chapter 19

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter and I want to thank Ddee for letting me use her great idea, so thank you! I think it will add some interesting dilemia's to Sammy's situation.

I wasn't sure I'd have this chapter ready for you this week since it was kind of hard to get started on and then I ended up having to spend most of Tuesday in the hospital with one of the little boys I take care of... he fell and we thought he'd broken his arm but luckily that wasn't the case. Anyhow, I'm going to try and get one more chapter up before I start school but I'm not sure that's going to be 100% possible. I'll be out of town next week for a couple of days and then I start school just a couple of days later so it might take a little bit for the next chapter to get posted but I promise I'll keep trying.

I hope everyone enjoys the chapter and I'd love to hear what you thought of this latest chapter! Either way, thank you! Now, on with the story... :)

* * *

Several weeks had passed since John and Dean had told Sam about the house and John's new, legal job and things seemed to be moving along well. Sam was slowly starting to come out of his shell more and instead of trying to avoid conversations with anyone who wasn't Dean, he would join in occasionally, even when his big brother wasn't present. His voice was still soft and his sentences short, but it was more than he'd spoken in a long while and everybody was happy to see Sam taking steps; albeit small ones.

The twins were developing well and both looked healthy despite worries that Sam may begin to have trouble carrying them as they grew and required more nutrition since Steven had noted that in the past cases, this had been the point when the men had really begun to struggle, that is if they had made it this far. John personally thought that that might have been due largely to the fact that a demon had been possessing their doctor… he didn't think that was the most sympathetic or compassionate person to lean on.

The house was slowly coming along too what with Dean, Steven, and Jim helping out on the weekends. Steven was the one who went with John the most seeing as how he didn't have a church to attend to or a job to go to. The two of them had managed to repair the bits of the deck that had been falling apart and had now moved inside the house and were in the process of tearing up the old and shaggy carpet and peeling off the old wallpaper. John had originally been worried that maybe he'd bitten off more than he could chew but it seemed as if maybe this could turn out to be a manageable project after all.

Caleb and Bobby were unavailable to help since they had left the previous week to track a lead that Josh had found a few states over. Everyone was hoping that this time they would find more than just clues and a dead end trail. They were tired of being one step behind the bastards, especially with their time to catch them before the twins' arrival running out.

Sam had yet to see the house as it had been deemed a hazard zone by both John and Dean. They didn't want to risk Sam or the twins being exposed to potentially hazardous chemicals or any unsafe work areas where he might slip and fall. At five months along, that could be disastrous. Neither would budge on that though they promised him he'd get to see it soon enough and he seemed to be mildly okay with that.

Dean and John had sorted out a schedule and worked in shifts during the week to ensure that Sam was alone for as little amount of time as possible. John would work at the house for a few hours every day then he would come home and spend some time with Sam until Dean came home then he would leave and it would be Dean's turn to watch over his brother. Both John and Dean worked hard to make it be a bit of quality time so as to not make Sam feel like they didn't trust him or that they thought he needed a babysitter. Neither one of them thought that would go over very well with the teen if past experience was anything to go by.

~DW/SW~

Sam yawned and stretched as he slowly woke from his late afternoon nap. He turned so he was on his side facing the window and smiled a little when he saw that it was still a bit sunny out. _It's the end of August, of course it's sunny!_ He thought to himself as one hand drifted down to rub his belly. _You guys still sleepin'? Guess so. _He yawned again. _Man, you guys make daddy tired_ Sam silently told his twins as he wondered how he was going to handle the midnight feedings and diaper changes. _Guess it's good that dad taught us to be light sleepers, hunh?_

_Why do you keep forgetting this, you're leaving Sam._ Sam heard a deep voice say, startling him a bit. He looked around the room but found that he was the only one in it.

_Okay, that's weird_ he thought trying hard not to get too freaked out.

_You're no good to them, you're a screw-up and a failure and you know that no matter how hard you try, you'll never change that_ The voice continued.

Sam pushed himself up into a sitting position and looked around the room, starting to get shaky. "Shut up." He muttered, laying both of his hands on his stomach as if that was a way to prevent them from hearing the cruel words too. He didn't know who he was talking to but he didn't like this conversation or what was being said but seeing as how he had no idea just who it was he was conversing with, he didn't know how to end it.

_Why, it's the truth. I mean, you haven't even found a way to stop me yet and time's running out_ the voice finished.

"Who are you and why are you doing this?" Sam asked, biting his lip nervously as he fought back the urge to cry. He didn't know who was taunting him but whoever it was, he didn't want them to see the affect that their words were having on him.

_Aw, you don't remember me Sam? I'm offended, maybe we should go for round two… what do you say? Would that help jog your memory a bit?_

"No!" Sam shouted as he finally realized who the voice belonged to. Tears filled his eyes as flashes of the blonde haired man forcing him to his knees filled his mind's eye. "No, stop… stop, please." He murmured shutting his eyes closed and sinking back down onto the bed, trying as hard as he could to think of anything but that day.

_Why? We had SO much fun Sam_ the voice continued.

"No, no," Sam pleaded again as he saw himself lying on the forest floor and looking up into the dangerous and predatory face of his attacker. Sam tightened his arms around himself as he felt the man rip and tear his clothes, leaving Sam shivering with fear at what might happen next. He kicked and punched out at the man. He tried to hurt him, injure him in some way that would allow him to get at least a bit of distance between him and this monster. He knew he wasn't that far from the house and he prayed that his screams would be heard by someone. "Why are you showing me this?" Sam whispered. He could feel the man forcing his legs apart and Sam let out a sob at what he knew came next. _Please go away_ he begged to the voice. _Please, haven't you hurt me enough?_ He asked.

_Now, where would the fun in that be?_ The voice asked back. _It's cute to see how far I can push you._

_I…_ Sam was startled out of his silent conversation when a loud bang sounded against his bedroom door. He curled in tighter against his sheets and shook, hoping that the door was locked and whoever it was on the other side wouldn't be able to come in.

"Sam?" Sam let out a relieved but shaky breath when he realized that it was just Jim, even so, he was not feeling all that up to company right that moment.

"Y… yes." He called back, hoping that the shake in his voice wasn't all that noticeable.

"Lunch is ready, if you're hungry." Jim explained, he didn't think Sam had eaten much of anything yet today.

"Oh…" Sam drifted off. His stomach was in knots and he felt as if he might throw up everything he'd eaten in the past week; there was no way he was going to be able to eat whatever it was that Jim had cooked up. "I'm not really hungry right now."

From the other side of the door, Jim nodded, biting his lip worriedly. He hadn't seen much of the young man today and he hoped that the teen was feeling alright but he wasn't sure. "Are you okay?" Jim asked with something like fatherly concern in his voice.

Sam nodded, even though Jim couldn't see him.

"Sam?" Jim called again when he didn't get an answer.

"I'm fine." Sam grunted out, hoping that Jim would take the hint and leave.

_Yeah, sure you are_ the voice returned.

Sam gritted his teeth and fought not to respond. He listened, waiting for Jim to return downstairs and once he was sure he was alone again, Sam hurried out of the room and dashed into the bathroom. Sam fell to his knees in front of the toilet and emptied it of everything and then some, his frame shaking with the memory and images that just wouldn't leave him alone.

_Stop, please… leave me alone_ Sam implored, shivering despite the ninety degree temperature out. Sam could feel the man's hands running over him, could feel the man's lips ghost over his skin and it made him scramble back towards the bathroom corner, wedging himself into the tight space despite his large size.

_Aw, you're cute when you're scared Sam_ the voice said in a smirking tone of voice. _Hmm… well, I've got some… errands… to run but don't worry, we'll catch up more later. Bye Sam._

Realizing that the voice was finally gone, or at least for now, Sam stood on shaky feet and leaned heavily against the wall, trying to calm himself down enough so that he would at least be able to move. A couple minutes after his heartbeat had finally returned to a semi-normal pace, Sam turned the shower on to as hot as he could stand and watched as steam filled through the small room. Stripping himself of his shirt and pants and wishing that he could shed his dirty and stained skin as well, Sam stepped into the shower stall. His chest heaved with restrained emotion as he picked up the bar of soap from the window sill and scrubbed himself roughly, tears pouring down his face as he tried to wash away the images that his conversation had stirred up.

Only once the water had turned to freezing, Sam shut it off and stepped out of the shower. It was almost as if he was functioning on auto-pilot as he grabbed the towel off the rack and wrapped it around himself. Just as he was about to reach for the doorknob, he remembered that he was essentially naked and it made him stop. As water pooled at his feet, Sam hovered by the door, fear freezing him to the spot.

~DW/SW~

It was dark by the time Caleb and Bobby pulled up outside the small cabin, the sun having set a couple of hours earlier. They noticed that Josh's truck was already there and both of them found that to be very suspicious and concerning. He'd called them with this information because they were closer to the location and would have been able to reach it sooner than he would.

Bobby turned to look at the younger man crouching beside him. "Did he say he was meeting us here?" He asked as they watched someone move around inside the house.

Caleb shook his head. "Last time I talked to him, he said he was on his way but I thought for sure, we'd get here before he did." He answered, whispering softly so as to try and not blow their cover.

Bobby nodded, a sense of dread filling him. He grabbed his gun from inside his jacket and slowly let the safety off as he took the lead. Caleb stepped up behind them and they walked back to back towards the property.

As they got closer to it, they could hear loud, drunken laughter and a TV blaring from somewhere inside the house. Suddenly, the front door swung open and a man who was wearing nothing but an undershirt and a pair of dirty boxers came stumbling down the steps, a beer can in his hand. Bobby and Caleb immediately moved into the shadows of the tall Oak trees to avoid being seen and watched as the man got into Josh's truck and drove off.

"What the hell is going on?" Caleb muttered wondering what had happened to their fellow hunter and friend.

"Hell if I know." Bobby replied. They watched the taillights of the truck disappear down the gravel road before they resumed making their way into the house.

~DW/SW~

John unlocked the front door and both he and Steven made their way inside, each of them swiping up a slice of pizza from off of the counter. "Good work today." John said even as he looked at Steven and then himself, seeing that both of them were covered in dirt and grime from a hard day's work. "Ugh… see you in a bit." He said as he tromped up the stairs, intent on taking a shower.

After having grabbed his work uniform and an extra towel, John headed to the bathroom. When he tried to open it, he realized it was locked. He knocked wondering what was going on as he couldn't hear anything going on inside. "Ah… anybody in there?" He called a bit hesitantly.

When there was no answer, he knocked again, this time a bit more worried. "Answer me or I'm going to break down the door!" He threatened and then John heard what sounded like something crashing come from inside. _What the hell is going on?_ He asked himself. John was about to give one final warning when he heard a loud sob come from inside the room. Stopping and thinking of the four people who were currently home, John realized that there was only one person who could be in the bathroom at the moment as both Jim and Steven were downstairs. _Sam_ he thought worriedly. "Sam? What's going on? Are you alright in there?" John asked, trying to soften his voice but not really succeeding.

John heard another sob, smaller this time though. "Sam, it's dad… come on, you're scaring me." John called through the wooden door. "Did you fall?"

"N… no." Sam managed to get out even as he clutched the towel tighter around himself.

_Okay…_ John breathed out a sigh of relief since a fall could potentially be fatal to either his son or his babies right now.

"Dad?" Sam called softly, a couple of minutes later.

"Yes, son?" John called back.

"Can um… can you bring me some clothes. Th… they're in my dresser." Sam whispered.

"Sure son, I'll be right back." John immediately dropped the clothes and towel he was holding and turned down the hall to enter his boys' room. "Sam, I've got your clothes." He said when he returned a moment later, knocking on the closed door.

"Thanks." Sam replied opening the door just a crack to slip his hand through.

~DW/SW~

John stood in the entry way to Jim's library, watching as his son poured himself into the books surrounding him. Ever since Sam had come out of the bathroom a few hours earlier, this was all he had done. Stare at old, Latin texts, refusing to budge from his seat and startling anytime someone made any kind of noise at all. _I thought you were doing better_ John thought as he sipped his coffee and glanced at his watch. Dean was due home in about half an hour and then he would have to take off. John sighed as he wondered why Sam was so jittery this evening. Turning around, he walked into the kitchen to where Jim was. "Did something happen today?" He asked, leaning against the refrigerator, determined to figure out what had spooked his son.

Jim glanced up at John for a moment. "No, I don't think so… but he does seem different today, to you as well?"

John nodded. "It's like he's scared." He supplied. He knew Sam wasn't better, wasn't healed or whatever but in the days previous, his son had seemed to be doing a little bit better with each day that passed. He no longer sought complete solitude or flinched whenever someone who wasn't Dean said 'hi' to him but right now, it seemed as if maybe he'd imagined all that progress.

~DW/SW~

_Why are you even looking? You know you're not going to find anything_ Sam flinched and his shoulders sagged when he realized that the voice was back.

"No, you just don't want me to." Sam muttered quietly, hoping that no one would be able to hear him.

_I'm telling you the truth Sam, honest to God_ the demon's voice mocked.

"You're a demon… honest to God my ass." Sam scoffed.

_Hmm, yeah, your ass_ Sam thought he could hear the demon grinning and he thought he might throw up again.

Sam clenched his eyes shut. No, he wasn't going through with this, not for the second time in one day… he couldn't. Sam slammed the book shut and stood, striding into the kitchen and going to stand next to his dad, hoping that having him next to him would ward off any further conversations with the pervert from hell.

_Aw, you're not going to rat me out, now are you Sammy?_ The demon asked.

Sam crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. He wasn't sure what to do.

_They probably wouldn't believe you anyway. I mean, first you dishonor the family name by letting yourself get raped then you hear voices and start to go crazy… you'll be disowned by the end of this, I love it!_ The demon sounded way too happy for Sam's liking.

_They've stuck with me this far, they're not going to disown me_ Sam silently retorted back. _And besides, I… I didn't do anything._ Even to himself, he didn't sound convinced.

_Aw, is that what you're telling yourself? That I took advantage of you? Okay, so maybe I did… well guess what? It was fun and I can't wait to do it again._

Sam began to shake and his face paled at what the demon was implying. "No… no, they won't let you." He whispered not realizing that he had spoken out loud.

John and Jim's conversation was interrupted when they both heard Sam mutter something under his breath. John began to worry when he saw how pale his son was, whatever was happening wasn't good, that much was obvious. "Sam?" He asked, concerned.

"They won't let you." Sam repeated, tears filling his eyes.

"Who won't let who do what?" John asked feeling very confused. A moment later, they heard the front door open. "Dean?" John called out.

"Yeah, it's me." Dean answered as he headed into the kitchen. He could smell Jim cooking something. "Wow, Sammy?" Dean said, instantly going to his brother's side. "What the hell happened?" He barked looking at his dad when Sam didn't answer him.

John shook his head, not understanding the situation any more than Dean did. "I don't know Dean. He's been acting… weird, all day. And then he came in here a couple of minutes ago and then he started talking to himself. I don't know what the hell is going on." John explained.

Dean bit his lip and grabbed his brother by the shoulders, trying not to shake him too hard. "Sammy!" He shouted. "Get me a glass of water." He said, briefly turning around to face Jim when he still didn't receive any response from the kid.

Jim looked mildly confused but did as Dean told him. "Here." He said, handing the half-full glass to the young man.

Dean took the glass from Jim and splashed it into his brother's face causing Sam to sputter and a moment later, Sam seemed to come out of whatever trance he'd fallen into. "Wha…?" He asked, his eyes darting back and forth between the three men standing in front of him. Fear was evident in his gaze.

"Hey, you okay?" Dean asked silently putting his hand out for a dish towel.

Sam opened his mouth and then closed it again. He pulled back when Dean tried to wipe his face. "Ah… sorry." He said before he tore himself out of his brother's grip and headed up the stairs.

Dean threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "Seriously, what the hell?" He asked.

~DW/SW~

Sam hurried to his room as fast as he could. He didn't know what to do or what to say… how did he explain that he was hearing his rapist's voice inside his head. He was sure that his family would misunderstand him and say that it was normal for him to have flashbacks and remember it but that wasn't what was happening. It was like the demon could read his current thoughts instantly, from wherever the hell he was, and communicate with him.

"Sam?" Dean called from behind the door, startling Sam a little.

"What… what is it?" He asked, trying to calm himself down so that way hopefully Dean wouldn't notice that there was something wrong.

Dean opened the door and stepped inside the dimly lit room. "Everything okay?" Dean asked as he walked over and sat down on the bed, beside his brother. "Dad and Jim both said that you seemed upset today."

Sam shrugged. "Just a rough day."

"Oh yeah, how so?" Dean questioned and Sam realized that there was no way his brother was going to leave him alone about this.

Sam shrugged again and turned away. Just because Dean wanted to find out what was going on, didn't mean Sam had to tell him right off the bat.

Dean watched with concerned and curious eyes as his brother turned away from him and he sighed, slowly leaning closer to his brother. "You wanna tell me what's going on inside that freaky head of yours?" He asked, smiling a little in the hopes of reassuring his brother that whatever it was, he could confide in him.

Sam was about to answer when they heard someone pull up into Jim's driveway. Seeing as how it was past eight-thirty at night, they certainly weren't expecting any visitors. Dean got up from his seat on the bed and walked over to the window, pulling back the curtains a little bit and peering outside. He watched as someone got out of the truck and headed for the front door. Not recognizing the man and not wanting to take any chances, Dean grabbed his weapon and checked to make sure it was loaded. "Stay here." He ordered before he headed downstairs knowing that he and Jim were essentially the only protection they had right now.

~DW/SW~

Having entered the house, Caleb and Bobby had decided to split up to cover more ground with Caleb taking the front of the house and Bobby the back. Both of them walked silently through the house, their weapons drawn and their bodies ready for a fight as they searched for any kind of clue as to who the man in the dirty boxer shorts was or why he was driving Josh's truck.

When he found nothing of any use in either the living room or the kitchen to help him identify their mystery man, Caleb back tracked and found Bobby searching through what appeared to be a bedroom. "You find anything?" He asked.

Bobby shook his head. "No, nothing besides a bunch of empty beer cans and a pipe."

"Great." Caleb muttered sarcastically.

"Do you think he's possessed?" Bobby asked. There weren't any sulfur signs to suggest he was but still, he wanted to be sure.

Caleb shrugged as he leafed through some random papers that were scattered about on the desk in the corner. A moment later they heard a groan come from down the hall and both of them stilled their movements and turned their flash lights off immediately. They hadn't heard the truck pull up but still, they weren't taking any chances that the guy had returned. Silently, Caleb signaled that he'd take the front and together, they made their way down the hall.

Slowly and cautiously, they entered the tiny and cramped bathroom at the end of the hall. Bobby stood guard as Caleb entered the foul smelling room.

"Ugh… you wanna shut that thing off?" Caleb heard as he moved his flash light around, thinking that the voice sounded familiar.

"Josh." He said worriedly as he shined the light where his friend was lying. He could see blood pooling around him and he leaned down, trying to asses just how injured the man was. "What the hell happened?" He asked just as they heard the crunch of dirt and gravel followed by a car door slamming shut. _Shit_ both Caleb and Bobby cursed when they realized they had company to deal with now.

* * *

So, how was that? And yeah, I know ending it on a cliff hanger when I may not have all that much time to write coming up is probably pretty evil but I promise I'll work hard so you won't have to wait too long (hopefully) to find out what happens next. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and would love to hear your thoughts so send me a note, please? Thanks again and like I said, I'll try to get the next one up soon. :)


	20. Chapter 20

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter and I really hope you all will enjoy it! It's the most action-oriented chapter while trying to keep it as close to the action on the show that I've ever done so I'm a bit nervous about it and hope I managed to pull it off... hopefully you guys can tell me if I did or not. John is absent from this chapter but I promise, he'll be back next time.

I kind of sort of doubt that many of you will know who I'm talking about but as a spastic little race fan, I feel I have to say this as two of my guys, Will Powers and Nelson Phillipe (I've met both and both are very nice, young, talented drivers) were injured during practice for the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma last week and I just so happened to be at the track when it happened and saw it... get well soon guys! Here's wishing both of you have a speedy recovery!

Anyways, thanks SO much everyone for continuing to read and review, I really appreciate all of your support! As always, I'd love to hear from any of you who would be willing to share their opinion with me and I will try to update relatively soon considering school starts Monday. Enjoy! :)

* * *

"Caleb, Bobby, what the hell are you guys doing here?" Josh grunted out, trying not to draw attention to their end of the house.

Caleb and Bobby shared a worried look. "What the hell do you mean what are we doing here? You called us, told us you had a lead?" Caleb replied, a sinking feeling in his gut.

"Dude, the last time I spoke to you was over a week ago and you guys had just busted that hotel and found nada." Josh groaned in pain as he accidentally moved his injured arm. Caleb and Bobby both cursed at Josh's admission, mad at themselves for falling for such a trap.

Just as Caleb was about to ask how injured Josh was, they heard the front screen door open and close. A heavy set of footsteps confirmed their fears that their mystery man was back from whatever errand he had hurried out to run.

Not knowing if the man knew Josh was injured and hiding in the bathroom or if he was even armed and dangerous at all, Caleb and Bobby hurried to get Josh into the shower and pulled the curtain closed in order to try and provide a bit more cover for him. Caleb checked to make sure that the injured hunter had a working weapon and then set off to find a hiding place for himself knowing that Bobby had taken up cover in one of the small bedrooms.

~DW/SW~

Dean slowly and cautiously made his way down the stairs, his gun drawn and the safety off though he kept it hidden by his side. He spotted Jim walking towards the entry way, a deceiving look on his face. Jim pulled back his coat a bit and nodded to Dean, showing that he was packing too. He was surprised to see that Steven was also carrying and though he was glad for the extra back-up, he was really hoping that Steven didn't prove to be a liability tonight. He really didn't have time at the moment to walk anybody through this, not with his brother and unborn niece and nephew hiding upstairs. Dean stiffened when they heard the doorbell ring and he cast a quick glance upstairs, hoping that his brother would obey him for once and stay out of harm's way. He crept his way over to a hiding spot beside the door as Jim and Steven stood waiting.

After their visitor rang the doorbell a second time only to get no answer, they heard him laugh loud and deep from the other side of the door. "You really think something as simple as not answering the door is going to keep me away?" Their visitor asked.

None of the men replied, not wanting to give into the stranger's taunts.

A moment later, the door swung wide open to reveal a man dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. At first glance he looked like some traveler whose car had died and was in need of assistance but one look in his eyes told the three men waiting inside the house everything they needed to know.

The temperature inside the house dropped as the man entered the front hall, causing Jim and Steven to back up a little bit. Both of them kept their sights trained on the man but their weapons stayed hidden, not wanting to give anything away. Steven stood in between the front door and the stairs to try and provide a bit of a barricade between this stranger and Sam. Jim was standing a few feet from the door, looking almost as if he was about to welcome the man into his house but all three men knew better. It would quite literally be a cold day in hell before any demon was welcomed onto hallowed grounds. Dean was hidden from view, waiting off to the side of the living room though Jim could see just how tense the young man was, even from where he was standing.

Once the man was fully inside the house, the door swung shut again and an evil grin appeared on the man's face. "Nice place you fellas have here." He said as he glanced up towards the stairs. "Mind if I look around?"

~DW/SW~

Sam sat huddled in a corner of the bedroom, his arms wound around himself as he tried to stay as quiet as possible as he waited for his brother to come get him and tell him that whatever possible danger there might have been was long gone. "Shh…" He soothed to himself as he felt his daughter give him a harsh kick to the ribs. A small groan fell from his lips a moment later as he felt his son punch him in his bladder and he tried to fight back the tears that were forming. _I know you guys are scared… daddy is too_ he thought as he kept his eyes trained on the door, trying to tell himself that the lack of gunshots coming from downstairs was a good thing.

Sam flinched when he heard the loud bang of the front door slamming shut and he felt the tears that had been building finally spill over. The fear of who their visitor could be and what he could want combined with his lack of knowledge of what was going on downstairs was playing haywire with his mind and emotions right now. _How are we going to get out of this?_ Sam asked himself, worried for his and his family's safety.

He was startled again when he heard a crash and he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. Standing up as quickly as he could, Sam made his way to the large walk-in closet his and Dean's room housed. He shut the door behind him and locked it before he took a seat in the far corner, curling in on himself as much as he could. He hoped that the large piles of clothes and extra blankets Jim had in there would provide a little bit of something for him to hide behind.

~DW/SW~

Dean let the man walk just a few steps through the front door before he emerged from his hiding place, wrapping his arm tight around the man's throat and pressing his gun to the strangers' temple. "Actually, I do." He growled out, tightening his grip on the man's airway as he put everything he felt about the bastards who had violated his brother into the hold.

Ever since he'd found Sam lying frightened and bleeding on the path, he'd been filled with a great sense of anger, grief, and hatred. Anger at what had been done so cruelly to the person his world essentially revolved around. And if he was telling the complete truth, anger at himself for not being able to protect Sam better. Grief at what had been stolen not only from Sam but from their entire family and hatred at the good for nothing shits that thought they had the right to take it. Dean's grip unconsciously constricted even more as a rage unlike anything he'd ever felt before fuelled through him. His chokehold on the man seemed to be holding but just when Dean thought he might have the upper hand in this fight, the man started to fight back.

"You think that's gonna stop me?" The man asked once Dean's grip had been loosened enough.

"No." Dean gritted out, cursing as he tried to regain control over the intruder. He struggled to drag him back towards where the Devil's Trap was on Jim's ceiling, thankful now that they had never had the chance to paint over it.

Just as Dean was about to step foot inside the Devil's Trap, the man managed to get loose and he shoved Dean away causing the young hunter to fall off balance. Dean barely missed nicking his forehead on the side table and his gun skittered a few feet away, just out of reach. "No!" He screamed as he scrambled to get back on his feet as he watched the man charge Steven down and begin to head up the stairs. Dean managed to grab hold of the man's ankle just as he ascended the stairs and Dean gave a quick tug, pulling the man's legs out from underneath him. The two of them tumbled back down the stairs landing on the floor of the entry way.

As Dean fought with everything he had to keep the man pinned down, Jim sprung forward, a bucket full of holy water in his hands. Jim proceeded to dump the entire bucket over the pair and they watched as sizzling welts formed on the man's skin. None of them could deny the small bit of satisfaction they felt as the demon possessed man screamed as the water burned him. The man stumbled backwards, thankfully going further away from the stairs as he scratched blindly at his face.

Taking advantage of the moment, Dean leapt up and knocked the man backwards with a quick series of punches to the face and chest knocking him down once again. He quickly straddled him and growled as he felt the demon squirm underneath him. He so badly wanted these bastards to know how angry and disgusted he felt about what they had done to his family. "Not so tough now are ya?" He sneered as he grabbed the rope Steven held out for him and tied the man's hands together.

The demon underneath Dean was breathing heavily as he tried to buck Dean off of him and fought to gain control of the situation. His eyes were pitch black and Dean, Jim, and Steven could feel the evil and hate rolling off of him. Suddenly, he stopped moving as he glared up at Dean, spotting the Devil's Trap Dean had been trying to lead him towards. He let out a chuckle as he cocked his head to the side.

"This how you like to do it Dean? Tie people up and make 'em beg for it stop… reminds me of myself." He said with an evil smirk as he flicked his gaze back towards the stairs. "And to think you were going to stop me because you wanted to protect Sam, should've known it was because you wanted the filthy slut for yourself."

Dean growled and a look of pure rage came over him as he delivered a merciless punch to the man's face, taking satisfaction in the crunch he heard and past caring about the pain in his knuckles. The demon didn't seem to notice the blood streaking down from his now broken nose and continued. "We could take turns ya know, share the little whore. I wonder how well he'd take having two dicks shoved up his ass. You think he'd like that Dean? I bet we could make him scream… I heard he's quite the loud little thing. Of course, I have to be the last one to have him but I might let you have a little taste."

Dean wanted to vomit with what the demon was suggesting. Sam was his baby brother… he'd practically raised the kid. Dean had never been attracted to Sam, ever, and he highly doubted he ever would be but the way this demon was putting it. The thought of doing _that_ to Sam, hurting him in a way that was so personal and stealing a part of him… it made his stomach churn with the demon's implications. Dean knew he'd rather put a bullet in his head than rape his kid brother. Dean snarled, the muscles in his jaw twitching as he sat on top of the man, enjoying hearing the pained groan and string of curses the demon let out as Dean kneed him in the crown jewels.

Dean watched the man moan and pant with the pain Dean's action had caused him. He leaned down close to the man so he could whisper in his ear. "I'm nothing like you, you fucking douche bag! See, the difference is the things that I tie up and torture deserve it. They aren't innocent, good people who've never hurt another soul in their entire lives whereas you just go around spreading as much pain and misery as you can… what? Did the big bad devil down below make you his bitch so now you come up here taking it out on innocents?!" An evil smile of his own appeared on Dean's face as he reached for his gun that had fallen to the floor during their tussle. He brought it up and showed it to the other man. "See, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to ask you questions and if you fail to help me out, I will shoot you and it won't be any where that'll heal."

Jim and Steven stood off to the side, watching the exchange between Dean and the hellspawn underneath him. Steven was a bit shocked by the nights transactions and wasn't sure what would happen next. He had honestly never witnessed the kind of anger Dean was exuding right now, not even when John and Dean had barged in on 'him' while he had been possessed and in the middle of performing his experiment on the youngest Winchester. To be perfectly blunt, the guy scared the shit out of him on a good day… this was a whole new level for him.

Jim on the other hand knew that Dean had things under control and that it was best to just let him be when he was like this… he certainly didn't want to get caught in the crossfire of the older brother's anger. And then there was also the issue of letting the young hunter and older brother exact some form of revenge. He might have been a man of the cloth and had taken a vow to teach love, acceptance, and forgiveness but considering what these demons had done to the youngest Winchester and what they were still trying to do to him, he figured it really wasn't that hard to turn a blind eye to the violence happening before him.

~DW/SW~

Sam had heard the sounds of falling furniture and knew there was a fight going on downstairs. That was as plain as day. He didn't dare move from his spot in the closet fearful that if he did try to go down there, he'd be more in the way than of any help or that he'd be putting his babies in significant danger. _Please let Dean be okay_ he prayed knowing that if anything happened to his older brother or any of his other family members because they were trying to protect him, he'd never be able to forgive himself.

_You know Sam, you could go down there and offer yourself up_ Sam closed his eyes as soon as he heard the suggestion. This was too much and he silently begged for the demon to have mercy on him, just once.

_You want me to have mercy on you? Do you not remember what I did Sam… mercy just isn't what I'm capable of_ the demon replied. _But you already knew that._

"Go away!" Sam muttered angrily even though he knew the demon wouldn't leave him alone. He was so sick of this shit.

_Why, I'm trying to help you out here Sam. If you would just listen to me…_ Sam cut the demon off.

"Listen to you?! All you do is tell me how pathetic and useless I am… I don't need to hear any more of that." Sam argued back against his silent attacker.

_What? You don't want to hear the truth and here I thought I was the lying, manipulative one… my, my, my Sam, aren't you just full of surprises. _The demon then continued as if Sam had never even interrupted him. _Now seriously, offering yourself up like the good little whore you are might get you back in with your family…_

"They never left me." Sam muttered out, trying as hard as he could to not pay attention to the demon's words that were infiltrating his mind.

_That's not the point. What I'm trying to say is that if you go down there and say you'll spread your legs like you do so well, chances are that demon will get what he wants, leaves and what do you know, Dean, Jim and Steven all get to live. Of course then, I'll have to come by again and reclaim what rightfully belongs to me which just so happens to be that tight little ass of yours _the demon explained with a grin in his voice.

"I don't belong to you… I'm not some fucking piece of property that you bought and own." Sam said heatedly even though he did feel like maybe he was only just a cheap piece of ass.

_Your ass isn't cheap Sam, why the hell do you think all of us are fighting for it? No, you're something special, that's for sure. It's a win-win Sam, you know I'm right_ the demon taunted.

Just then there was another loud crash followed by an unearthly scream. There was no way that was his brother and Sam smiled as he thought about Dean kicking the bad guy's ass. _Sounds like Dean's handling it fine on his own_ Sam bit back, trying his best to not allow the small bit of worry he had to creep up knowing that the demon would pick up on it and use it against him.

~DW/SW~

Bobby had ducked into the side bedroom to hide knowing Caleb was doing that as well. When no footsteps were heard coming down the hall, he slowly opened the bedroom door and peered down as far as he could. He could hear pots and pans clanking together and he breathed a sigh of relief at knowing that at least for the moment, the man was distracted. He watched as the door opposite his opened just slightly too and Caleb cautiously peeked his head out.

After waiting another a moment, Caleb dashed across the hall and over to Bobby. He quietly shut the door behind them and they walked to the far corner of the room. "How the hell are we gonna get Josh out of here?" Caleb asked.

Bobby shook his head. "There's no way he's getting out of here on his own."

"Yeah, thanks, I figured that much." Caleb bit back.

"You mind holding off on the sarcasm till after we get rid of the drunk?" Bobby asked, quirking an eyebrow at Caleb.

Caleb huffed but nodded. "You find anything else on who the hell he might be?" He asked scrubbing a hand over his face.

"Here." Bobby shoved a handful of crumpled and yellowed papers into Caleb's hand.

"What's this?" Caleb asked as he shined his flashlight onto the pages seeing that they were the papers for the rights to the house. There was a name printed on them, Chris Baitiet, but having never heard it before, it really didn't offer any extra insight. "Fucking hell, I'm sick of these jigsaw puzzles!" Caleb said in a harsh whisper as he began to walk towards the door.

"Where the hell are you going?" Bobby asked as he grabbed Caleb's sleeve and pulled him away from the door.

"To go get some fucking answers for once." Caleb replied. "You get Josh out of here and take his truck. I'll meet up with you back at the motel."

"Caleb," Bobby started but was cut off as Caleb ducked out of the room. With not knowing what it was they were facing, he didn't like the idea of leaving the young hunter to tackle this by himself. He knew if anything happened to him, it would just be another thing Sam would blame himself for and that was by no means, what they had set out to accomplish by coming here tonight.

~DW/SW~

Back at the house, Dean was fuming. It had been half an hour since he and Jim had tied the demon to a kitchen chair and had started interrogating him. At this point, Dean was half a clip short and the only thing he'd gotten in return were horrible, detailed explanations of just how tight his brother supposedly was. He didn't want to hear that kind of information anyways but considering the circumstances, it made him sick.

Dean placed his gun on the coffee table and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Giving up Dean?" The demon smirked even as blood dripped down his chin and his breathing was ragged.

Dean shook his head. "No, just taking a little break. Be back in a couple of minutes; try not to miss me too much." He said before he gave a harsh right hook to the man's face, knocking him and the chair to the floor. "You guys clean him up. When I get back, we go again." He'd keep this up for as long as he had to.

The demon laid on the floor, still bound to the chair and watched as Dean traveled up the stairs. "You going to see if all the nice little rumors you heard about your baby brother were right? See if he really does put out…" He was cut off by another bucket of holy water being tossed on top of him.

"Aaaah!" He screamed, the pitch black eyes returning. He trembled trying to reign in the pain that the holy water had caused. "Hello Pastor." The demon smirked after he'd gotten past the burn of the water on his open wounds.

Jim didn't reply.

~DW/SW~

Dean made his way upstairs and stopped outside his and Sam's bedroom door. He didn't hear any noises coming from inside the room and while he was glad that the kid had kept quiet and out of sight, that worried him. He glanced back down the stairs, his jaw twitching when he thought about all the degrading and cruel things the demon had said about his brother. He really hoped Sam hadn't heard any of it but he knew with their luck, it had probably been mega phoned across the state or something. "Sammy?" He called knocking quietly.

When there wasn't any answer, he grew even more worried and pushed the door open. Panic flooded through him when he saw that the room was empty. _No, no, no, God, please no!_ He shouted silently as hurried into the room, checking every space he could think of even though it was clear no one was there. He dashed over to the window and let out a small, relieved breath when he saw that the window was closed and latched and the salt line was still in place.

"Sam!" Dean yelled worriedly. He could hear footsteps rushing towards him and ducked back out into the hall. "No, don't leave him!" He ordered not wanting the demon to be left alone for any length of time. As soon as Jim and Steven had returned back downstairs, after having shot Dean curious and worried looks he returned to his room.

_Okay, calm down and think_ he told himself. _You were downstairs and had a clear view of the stairs; you would have seen him come down._ With that thought in mind, Dean called out for his brother again. "Sammy, c'mon man, please let me know you're hiding in here somewhere." He pleaded.

Another moment of silence passed and it was driving Dean mad with worry but then, the slightest rustling sound caught his attention and he stood frozen. "Sam, it's just me." He called out again in the hopes of reassuring his brother enough that he'd give away his hiding place.

"D… Dean?" Sam called back drawing Dean's attention to the closed closet door.

_Thank you!_ Dean shouted to whoever it was that made sure his brother had remained safe. He walked over to it and tried the knob, only to find it locked. "Sammy, you wanna let me in?" He asked and after a moment, Dean heard padded footsteps coming closer.

As soon as it clicked to unlock, Dean pushed the door open. He flipped the light on and felt relief fill him when he spotted Sam standing in the far corner of the small room. "Sammy," He sighed hurrying over to his brother.

"Is… is he gone?" Sam asked worriedly.

Dean shook his head no causing Sam to gasp and cling to his older brother. Dean wrapped his arms around Sam as he best he could. His heart broke when he felt the tension and fear rolling off of the kid in waves. "Shh, he can't get to you." Dean promised.

Sam was quiet for a little while. "What… what did he say?" He asked cautiously.

"Nothing so far." Dean answered. There was no way he was going to tell his brother all the cruel and untrue things that the demon had spewed. It would do nothing but shatter his brother's already fragile state of mind and confidence. "I just wanted to come and check on you… make sure you were doing okay?"

Sam sniffled and glanced down at his stomach. "They're scared." He said quietly a few minutes later. _I am too_ he added silently though he thought Dean could probably tell that by the way he was shaking.

Dean glanced down at his brother's swollen stomach and gently pressed his hand to the center of it. He sighed when he instantly felt several harsh kicks underneath his hand. "Don't be." He reassured, gently rubbing the spot. "I'm not gonna let anything happen."

Sam nodded covering Dean's hand with his. He let out a little sigh as the twins began to calm down, seemingly comforted by their uncle's actions and presence. Dean could feel the tremors working their way through his brother's body and he kept up the gentle, soothing motions of rubbing his hands over Sam's arm and stomach.

_Aw, well isn't that cute_ Sam heard causing him to step even more into his brother's embrace. _I'm surprised he wants to touch you after all the trouble you've caused._

_He loves me_ Sam argued back, trying to keep his fear and panic under control knowing Dean would pick up on it immediately. His brother had enough things to deal with right now.

_Oh yeah? Well, if that's true then why haven't you told him about me? Or are you just too afraid that he'll agree with me and finally see you as what you are, nothing more but a hole to fuck_ the demon spat at Sam cruelly.

Sam shook his head as tears filled his eyes as he fought not to buy into the demon's words and taunts.

"I should get back down there." Dean said reluctantly pulling away from his brother several minutes later unaware of the mental battle Sam was fighting.

_See, he's leaving. I told you he would_ the demon teased.

"Yeah," Sam sighed but not letting go of his brother's shirt.

Dean stepped back, gently prying Sam's hand from the fabric of his t-shirt and gave his brother a small smile. "I'll come get you when it's over, okay?"

Sam nodded again but Dean could easily see just how much Sam didn't want to be alone. As it was though, there was no way he was letting the kid downstairs. He just couldn't risk it, he wouldn't risk it.

Dean stood and walked back over to the closet door pulling it open. "It'll be over soon Sam, promise." He said before he flicked the light off and closed the door behind him, not wanting to give anyone any indication that the room was occupied.

~DW/SW~

Bobby had waited only a moment or two after Caleb had left the room before he had gone to get Josh. Seeing the young hunter stealthily make his way down the hall, he turned in the other direction and headed straight for the small bathroom. Bobby pulled back the shower curtain and leaned down. "Hey, need your help." He said putting two fingers to the side of Josh's neck checking his friend's pulse, relieved to find it steady, albeit a little slow.

Josh nodded and gritted his teeth as he tried to find a better position.

Bobby slid an arm underneath Josh's neck and hefted him up, the younger hunter leaning heavily on him. His left arm hung uselessly at his side as his right hand gripped the back of Bobby's shirt. Bobby carefully leaned down to grab Josh's fallen weapon, stashing it inside his jacket pocket before they tried to stumble as quietly as they could to the door.

~DW/SW~

Caleb glanced behind him to see that Bobby and Josh were slowly but surely making their way towards the back of the house. Clutching his gun loaded with silver and holy bullets in one hand, he crept into the living room seeing the drunk man – Chris Baitiet apparently if the papers were right, too drunk and zoned in on the porn that was showing on the crappy TV set to notice his entrance. _Stupid fucker_ Caleb thought as he brought the butt of his gun down across the back of the man's head, knocking him unconscious.

~DW/SW~

Dean paused outside his and Sam's bedroom door. He had to collect his cool again before he went back and faced that black-eyed freak. Thinking about what the demon had told him, how his brother had apparently felt and then walking into the closet and seeing the frightened look on the teen's face… Dean had felt his gut twist with a mix of anger and sympathy. Growling to himself, he headed back towards his prey, taking the stairs two at a time.

"Last chance," He yelled as he slapped the demon awake.

The demon popped his jaw and looked up at Dean, trying to pull off his evil smirk once again but it was clear that the torture Dean had inflicted on him was starting to take its toll. "Just a quickie, hunh? You didn't go for the whole package… missing out man, I tell ya."

Dean didn't respond and instead picked up a blessed knife that Jim had grabbed. "Looks sharp, hunh?" Dean smiled a little as he ran his finger over the tip of the blade. "This is your last chance, tell me who is running this and where I can find him or you're going to be very, very sorry." He said leaning menacingly close and letting the blade rest on the lower region of the man's abdomen.

* * *

Hey! So, how was that... did I pull off the action in the chapter or what? I'd love to hear what you thought! Thanks again for reading and I'll try to update soon! :)


	21. Chapter 21

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter and we find out a bit more about just who is running this competition and calling the shots this time so that should make several of you happy, I hope! Also, if anybody was confused about what was going on with Caleb and Bobby's hunt, I hope that some explanations in this chapter helped to clear it up but if they didn't then please let me know and I'll do my best to explain it better.

Another little point... I feel a bit bad about this considering I said there would be no wincest in this story and now it looks as if there may be a TINY amount... I just kind of feel like with the way I've written this story, that's the way to go that makes the most sense. I think if I suddenly had them come up with a solution now, it might be cheesy. One thing I can say if we do officially go that route is that the wincest will be minimal... I've found that I can write rape scenes and such but as for mushy love between the brothers, it just sounds corny when I do it so you probably won't *see* too much of the actual wincest. I'm sorry if anyone feels disappointed with this but it's just that I feel like this is what's best for the story :(

On that note, thanks so much to everyone who is reading this and of course, every comment you guys leave is very much appreciated! Thanks to everyone who doesn't leave me a review too, I hope you're enjoying the story just as much! Just a little heads-up, it looks like I am going to be insanely busy this coming week so I probably won't have much time to write but I'll try. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy the chapter! :)

* * *

John sat back in his office chair, watching the monitors in front of him. He sighed tiredly and scrubbed a hand over his bearded face as he glanced at the clock that hung on the wall. The time read that it was just past eleven thirty meaning he only had a half hour left before he could head home and he was itching to get back home to his boys. He didn't know why but he felt like he should be there right now and it bugged him that he wasn't. _They're in good hands _he thought trying to reassure himself that both of his children would be safe and sound when he returned home. He knew that he hadn't chosen the safest or the best life for them but he'd do anything to keep his boys safe and the thought of either one of them being in any kind of danger scared the crap out of him.

The fear that he had experienced when Jim, Steven, and he had entered the forest clearing and saw Sam lying practically naked as he was cradled by his big brother had been one of the worst moments of his life. It was right up there with finding Mary pinned to the ceiling of Sam's nursery or his time in Vietnam. And seeing how that one cruel and uncalled for act had changed his boy from being curious, argumentative, and confident to a shy, quiet, and reserved shell of the child he used to know had been physically painful to watch.

The dramatic transformation had broken his heart and shattered his confidence as a father. John knew that that one afternoon had left lasting repercussions on his son. As much as Sam tried to hide it, John had figured out a while ago that his son was suffering from nightmares almost nightly and that he needed to sleep surrounded by his big brother's protection just to grab the few hours that he could… he just wished that Sam didn't feel like he needed to hide that from him for fear of being mocked or ridiculed for something he had no control over. While John had never been raped nor would he ever pretend to know what it felt like to be violated like that, he had had his own nightmares after he'd returned from 'Nam and he knew what it was like to wake up in a cold sweat with the sounds, sights, and smells still surrounding you. John wanted to make his son smile and feel safe again more than anything else in the world and a part of him knew that that really wouldn't, couldn't, happen with the competition still going on.

Sighing again, he eyed his phone lying on the desk in front of him and thought about giving either Caleb or Bobby a call just to hear what new information they had gathered. He decided against it though not wanting to accidentally risk one of them should they be in the middle of a hunt.

~DW/SW~

Bobby got Josh settled in the passenger seat of his truck before he spared a glance back in the direction of the house, wondering how Caleb was doing.

"Go check on him." Josh muttered through gritted teeth, his face pale and his voice shaky. The blood loss was clearly starting to take its toll on the man.

Bobby shook his head no, he knew leaving Josh injured and out in the open like this was almost a sure fire way to get his friend killed. "Caleb can handle it, c'mon, let's go get you taken care of." He said as he slammed the passenger door shut and then made his way to the driver's side.

~DW/SW~

Inside the house, Caleb was waiting not so patiently for the man to wake up. After knocking him unconscious, Caleb had secured him to a chair and painted small Devil's Traps around the man to keep him imprisoned and under his control. He smiled and rubbed his hands together in anticipation when he heard a groan come from his prisoner. "Decided to join the land of the living again?" He asked, standing only a foot or so away from the man, his muscles taut and his fists clenched.

The man, Chris, blinked a couple of times before he looked up at Caleb with a confused look on his face. "Who… who are you and what are you doing in my house?" He asked. His eyes were pinched as his hang over created a massive headache… something that wasn't helped by having this stranger present in his home.

Caleb growled angrily. Knowing that this guy had apparently shot one of his friends and had intentions to gravely injure another did nothing to help him remain calm as he waited to finally put a stop to the threats against Sam. "Don't play games with me! You know exactly why I'm here you sick fuck… now, you see these symbols, I'm assuming you know what they are," Caleb said pointing towards the red paint on the floor. "If you decide to be a nice little freak and help me out, then maybe I'll consider letting you go but if you fuck with me, you're going to be getting a very nice and warm trip down under, got it?!"

"I… I don't know what you're talking about and… and those symbols… I've never seen them before in my life." Chris stuttered as the fear that Caleb was invoking began to sober him up almost immediately.

"I said not to play games! Apparently you don't listen too well. Maybe, this'll help refresh your memory." Caleb said as he leaned down and picked up an empty gas can and began pouring it over the man causing a horrified expression to appear on his face as he tried to shrink away from Caleb.

The man blinked and sputtered as water steadily dripped down his face soaking his shirt. "You're insane dude… look, you can have absolutely anything you want okay? Just don't hurt me, please." He begged, fear evident in his gaze.

Caleb stared as the man didn't react at all to the holy water being splashed in his face and he stumbled over himself for a moment. _What?_ He thought starting to get confused himself. Not wanting to show any sign of possible doubts just in case this was the guy he was looking for, Caleb continued. "The only thing that I want from are answers and you're going to give them to me."

"Answers about what? I don't even know what the hell you're even talking about!" The man shouted back at him, panic lacing his voice. "And… and these symbols, what are you? Some weird religion freak?!"

"Well, I don't worship Satan if that's what you mean!" Caleb retorted.

"And you think I do? I swear I'm not a Satanist… I'm a frickin' Catholic for Christ's sake!" The man argued back.

"Funny enough, I don't really trust a demon when he swears something." Caleb said menacingly.

"Demon? What the hell dude… you off your meds or something?" The guy's confusion was evident but in Caleb's rage, he failed to notice it.

"How much longer were you going to wait before you raped Sam?" Caleb screamed furiously ignoring the man's question. "You planning on waiting till he's too big to move and can't defend himself anymore?"

The man's eyes widened in shock and his mouth dropped open. "What… no! I'm telling you the truth, I don't know who Sam is and I certainly have no plans to rape him…" The man answered with disgust written across his face.

Caleb bit his lip as he studied the man sitting in front of him. This was not going the way he had planned as the man appeared to be nothing more than a simple human being… still, he knew how manipulative and calculating demons could be and he didn't want to take any chances. _You threw holy water at him and nothing happened_ Caleb silently reasoned.

The man took Caleb's silence as a sign of hesitation and continued with his pleas. "I've never raped anybody in my life and hell dude, I'm completely straight!" The man shouted trying to get the furious intruder to listen to him. "Please, you have to believe me… I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. I don't even know anybody named Sam!"

"Yeah, we'll see about that." Caleb muttered as he pulled out his own journal and began to read the exorcism aloud.

~DW/SW~

An hour later, Bobby had just gotten the gunshot wound to Josh's shoulder patched up when a loud, urgent banging sounded on the door. "Josh, Bobby! Pack your shit up and get the hell in the car!" He shouted through the closed motel door.

Bobby hurried to answer the door and grew worried when he saw the panicked look on Caleb's face. "What's…?" Caleb cut him off.

"It was a trap… the guy didn't know squat and he sure as hell wasn't possessed," Caleb replied thinking to how the man was looking at him as if he'd grown a second head during the exorcism but how no black smoke had erupted from him at all. "We gotta get to Jim's NOW!" And with that Caleb stormed inside the room, grabbed his duffle bag and any clothes he saw lying around and then headed back outside.

"A trap…?" Josh asked before he cursed under his breath and making Caleb pause in the doorway.

"What is it?" Bobby asked, his gaze bouncing between the two other hunters.

Josh sighed and began to pace a little. "When I got there, I acted as if I was interested in moving into the area and asked him what he thought about it. He wasn't exactly helpful and I quickly realized that he was on some heavy shit… I mean, he kept talking about how civil war soldiers were spying on him… crazy, anyways, I'd told him that I'd made my decision and went to leave."

"When did you get shot?" Caleb asked confused.

"When I said I was leaving, he told me that I couldn't go out there because they were out there. I tried to reassure him that I'd be fine and that I had protection with me… he asked me what I meant and as I went to open the door, he caught a flash of my gun and then he just freaked. Started yelling at me that I was one of them and then the next thing I know, the crazy fuck's shot me. After that, he started on drinking binge and I knew he was gonna pass out soon so I went and found the first place to hide that I could. I would have left but he was sitting in front of the door, blocking it. The time he left after you guys showed up was the first time he'd left the house since I had arrived there." Josh explained.

"So, if you didn't call us and tell us that you had him and if this guy really is just some crazy ass druggie… who the hell brought us here and why?" Caleb asked worriedly.

"To get us away from Sam… think about it, with the three of us gone and John working nights… it wouldn't exactly be difficult for someone to attack now. Steven sure as hell hasn't got any experience, there's no way Sam can fight, not with the condition he's in so that leaves just Jim and Dean to defend the entire fort…" Bobby drifted off, none of them liking the conclusion they had drawn.

As if a flip had been switched, the three men instantly began packing up all their meager belongings before heading for the two vehicles in the parking lot. They needed to get home as soon as possible and all were praying that they wouldn't arrive too late to be of any assistance and scared about what possible condition their friends would be in.

~DW/SW~

John frowned when he pulled into Jim's driveway and saw a lone figure standing by a burning fire several feet away from the house. "What the hell…?" He muttered to himself. He could easily tell even from the far distance that it was Dean standing by the fire and he quickly realized what Dean was burning as he smelt gasoline and burning flesh.

He quickly shut the engine off and then hurried over to his son, not liking the haggard appearance his oldest was now sporting. "Dean?" He questioned, worst case scenarios running through his head. _I knew I should have gotten home sooner_ he chastised himself.

Dean turned towards his dad before facing back to the fire. "He didn't make it." Dean responded, his voice a mix of anger and indifference.

"What? Who didn't make it?" John asked glancing back towards the house, letting out a relieved sigh when he saw Sam standing in the upstairs window. _At least he's safe_ John thought.

Dean shrugged indifferently. "Bastard needed to die."

"What Bastard? Dean, what happened?" John asked steeling himself against whatever it was that had occurred while he was away. He had the feeling that it had not been a good night for them.

Dean licked his lips before he turned back to his dad. "We got a late night visitor… he ah… he wanted to see Sam. Dad, it was one of them…" Dean drifted off, quickly gazing back at the house. When he saw Sam watching him, he turned back away. "He told me how he wanted to rape Sam, how I should do it too…" Dean said through clenched teeth as his body shook.

_No, not again_ John silently pleaded. "He… he didn't…?" John couldn't continue, couldn't put into words what may have possibly happened to his youngest for a second time.

Dean's head snapped up and his eyes hardened. "Fuck no dad! You think I would let that happen?!" Dean yelled.

"Dean, I know you'd protect Sam, alright, I know you would but it's still a possibility… much as we want to, we can't stop everything." John argued. "He's okay right, nothing happened?"

Dean shook his head. "No, I… I kept Sam hidden while Jim, Steven and I exorcised the bastard."

John nodded, relieved. "Did he say anything?"

"You mean besides how tight Sam supposedly is?" Dean involuntarily shuddered. "He gave me a name right before he croaked… said the guy was the master of it all."

John's eyes widened in both shock and excitement with the thought of finally knowing just who it was he was going to be pummeling to death. "Who?" He asked in a rough and shaking voice.

"A demon named Philatanus." Dean answered, his gaze returning to the body in front of them. The embers had burned out and now a rotten smelling smoke hung in the air. Dean was silent as he stepped forward and untied the ropes around the burnt corpse. John stepped forward as well and together, the two of them discarded of the formerly possessed human body.

~DW/SW~

Dean stood in the bathroom splashing water on his face trying to get rid of the overwhelming exhaustion that had taken up residence inside him since he and his dad had disposed of the body almost an hour ago. The adrenaline that had been coursing through him earlier was gone now and he felt as if he could sleep for a week straight. He had yet to go see his brother, afraid of what Sam might see on his face. He didn't want Sam to know what that demon had said to them. The poor kid had enough going on inside that over-anxious head of his already. No, he was determined that unless it was absolutely necessary, Sam wouldn't know who was coming after him. _He's bound to think something even worse if you ignore him right now_ Dean silently told himself. Sighing and wiping a hand over his face, he pulled open the door and headed to his bedroom.

Just as Dean reached the closed door, he heard someone talking inside the room and quickly realized it was his brother. _Maybe dad went to go see him_ Dean thought only to hear his dad's heated and angry voice coming from downstairs. Stepping closer to the door, he put his ear against the wood and listened.

"You don't know what you're talking about…" Dean heard his brother say in a worried tone of voice.

_What?_ He asked himself, listening as Sam continued.

"No, that's not true… he'd never hurt me like that, I know it." Sam pleaded but to whom Dean had no idea. "No, he's my big brother… he'd never do _that_." Sam sounded scared and tearful.

Dean had had enough of playing connect the dots with only half the clues and opened the door, hearing Sam gasp. He immediately noticed how pale his brother was. _Hasn't there been enough shit to last one night?_ He asked himself. "Sam, what's going on?" He asked worriedly.

Sam was startled by his brother's sudden appearance and he prayed that Dean hadn't heard any of what he'd said just a moment ago. Sam paced to the other side of the room and kept his back to Dean, his eyes focused downward. "Nothing Dean." He said softly, knowing Dean wouldn't buy that.

_Don't lie to me… I can't protect you if you do_ Dean told his sibling. "Sam… who were you talking to?" He pushed a little.

Sam didn't answer, just shook his head and tried to keep the sobs in. He had no idea how to explain it to his brother without sounding as if he'd finally lost the little bit of sanity he had left.

_Aw, Sam… I thought you said you trusted him. If you do, then why is this so hard?_ The demon taunted. _Speaking of hard, I miss you Sammy_ Sam let out a shudder at what the demon was implying.

"Sam, come on man, you're scaring me." Dean said again, walking over to his brother and standing beside him.

Sam shook his head, tears slowly leaking down his face. "You won't believe me." He whispered softly.

"Try me." Dean encouraged hoping that he'd be able to convince his brother to tell him what was going on… with the way things were now, he didn't think they could afford any secrets.

Sam drew in a shaking breath and wiped his hand across his eyes before returning it to his stomach, his fingers splayed out against the swollen skin. "I… I can hear him." He said quietly.

Dean's eyebrows quirked up in confusion. "Hear who?" He asked concerned.

"Him." A shudder passed through Sam and he hung his head in shame. "I can hear him Dean… he's inside me. I don't know why but… but he's there."

Dean was getting very, very worried. He didn't know who it was that was infiltrating his brother's mind but he knew it couldn't be good, especially if it had Sam in tears. Dean reached out and gently gripped Sam's forearms, turning his brother to face him. Letting go of Sam with one hand, he reached up and tilted his brother's chin up towards him. "Sammy, come on talk to me… let me help you." He pleaded. "Who is it? Who is scaring you like this?" _I'll find 'em and bash their face in Sam, you know I will_ Dean added silently.

"_Him_ Dean… it's him!" Sam sobbed leaving his brother just as confused before it dawned on Dean.

There was only one person who could make his brother tremble with fear like this. _No, no, I killed him_ Dean silently yelled _I killed him, I shot the bastard_. He pulled his brother to him and rubbed Sam's back in soothing circles. "Shh Sammy, shh… you're safe here, I swear to God you are." Dean was trying not to sound angry as he knew Sam would take it the wrong way.

Sam shook his head, soaking Dean's shirt with his tears.

Dean wrapped his arms around his brother as he tried to comfort him the best he could at the moment. "Shh, I've got kiddo, it's okay now…" _He has a demon talking to him and you don't know how to stop it, I'd say it's pretty fucking far from being okay_ Dean angrily thought to himself.

Several minutes passed with Sam sobbing loudly and shaking roughly against his brother, his hands tangled in Dean's shirt trying to find some safe place right now when it felt like everywhere he went had some hidden danger.

Without letting go of Sam, Dean walked them backwards to the bed and sat down, Sam practically on his lap. He gently carded one hand through his brother's hair, rubbing his neck softly while his other hand gently rubbed Sam's swollen stomach feeling the twins' motions inside his brother. _Come on you two, maybe if you settle down then your daddy will too_ Dean told his niece and nephew.

Sam sniffed and laid his head on his brother's shoulder as he tried to calm himself down some knowing that getting this worked up wasn't healthy. "I want it to stop Dean… I just want it to stop…" He said quietly wondering how much more of essentially being hunted he could take.

Dean nodded understandingly. "I know you do Sam and it will, just… just give me time okay?" He said looking down at his brother. "Sammy, what… whatever this bastard is saying to you… it's not the truth alright? A, he's a demon so pretty much everything that comes out of him is wrong and a lie and b… he's just a bastard." _A soon to be very dead bastard but still a bastard_ he added silently.

Sam was quiet and Dean wasn't sure if Sam had bought that or not. A moment later, Sam yawned and Dean looked at the clock realizing it was in the early morning hours. "Think you should go to bed." Dean softly suggested also realizing that he had to be up for work in just a few short hours.

"Not tired." Sam replied stubbornly. After what had happened tonight, he was scared of what awaited him in his dreams. He was sure that they wouldn't be pleasant.

"Sammy…" Dean started but Sam cut him off.

"I can't… I don't think I can relax enough to sleep tonight Dean besides… these two aren't exactly in a restful state right now." He explained placing his hand on his lower stomach, a small smile beginning to tug at the corners of his mouth. He secretly loved feeling his son and daughter's kicks and punches and thought that it was one of the few things right now that could help bring a smile to his face.

Dean bit his lip. "You need to sleep Sam… it's been a rough night."

Sam nodded, there was no denying that.

Dean sighed, feeling tired himself but also knowing that as long as Sam was awake, he was going to be too. "Anything I can do?" He asked.

Sam glanced over at his nightstand and blushed. "Um… you… you don't have to do this but I think they like that stuff you bought… it usually calms 'em down."

"Really?" Dean asked surprised, following his brother's gaze to rest on the round jar sitting on the table.

Sam nodded.

"Oh… okay, um… yeah sure…" He drifted off unsure of how exactly to proceed about doing this. Apart from putting sun block lotion on the kid when Sam was little, he'd never really rubbed _anything_ onto his brother before. Dean pulled back from his brother and walked over to the nightstand, picking the tub up and walking back to Sam. "Ah…"

Sam smiled a little bit at his brother's awkwardness as it wasn't something he saw often. He grabbed one of the smaller pillows they had on the bed and placed it under his back before he laid down, his eyes completely focused on his brother. He trusted him but it was still quite a bit nerve-wracking to think that someone other than himself was going to touch him for an extended period of time. _It's just Dean and you can see everything he's doing pretty much_ Sam reassured himself.

Dean nodded, trying to hide his discomfort as he unscrewed the cap on the tub and glanced back at his brother. _Shit, this isn't weird_ he told himself sarcastically as he gripped the hem of Sam's t-shirt in one hand and pushed it up. "It's okay Sam… you know I won't hurt you, right?" Dean asked, looking at his brother for confirmation.

Sam nodded but Dean could see that Sam was still quite a bit fearful.

"Okay," He nodded again and then slowly reached out to place his hand on Sam's rounded stomach and began to rub the cream in. Dean kept moving his hand in gentle circles over Sam's swollen skin, paying extra attention to the angry red lines that had wrapped themselves around the front of his brother's torso. Every now and then he would feel a kick or a punch underneath his hand causing him to rub the skin there for an extra minute or so until the baby there settled down. He smiled softly when he felt the twins movements cease as they presumably fell asleep and watched as Sam's eyes started to close, a small smile on his face. He kept the motion up for a few minutes longer, hoping to lull his brother into a deeper sleep.

Sam tried not to flinch when he felt Dean's hand rubbing against his skin and followed his brother's hand intently. Tears begun to sting his eyes at the gentleness of his brother's actions but he fought them back, not wanting to cry again right now. Sam felt Dean's fingers linger on the raised red bumps on his stomach as he stroked them lightly and he offered his brother a small smile, hoping Dean would know just how eternally grateful he was to have a big brother like him. "Hmm…" He moaned softly when one of his twins, probably his son, kicked him again. Suddenly, Dean's hand was covering the area that had just been abused and was rubbing it again. Sam let out a contented sigh as he felt his babies begin to calm. _Thank God he has such a calming effect on you two_ Sam thought as he finally let it sink in just how tired he was. Concentrating on the soft and loving care Dean was currently giving him helped Sam to close his eyes and begin to fall asleep.

Once Dean was sure Sam was asleep, he let Sam's shirt fall back down and then brought the covers back over his brother and tucked him in. "Sleep well, you three." He whispered softly, an affectionate smile on his face. "You're safe here, I promise."

Sam mumbled something unintelligible and turned over in the bed a little bit before he sighed contentedly. Dean slowly rose from the bed, not wanting to wake Sam and then went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Dean washed his hands and then headed downstairs where he found everyone gathered around in Jim's library pouring over books. _Guess I'm still not getting to bed yet_ Dean thought as he walked to join them.

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Hey, so how was that? I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it! Like I said, I think I'm going to be pretty busy this week but I'll keep trying though I think that an update for ITRW is long overdue so I might try and do that one first. Thanks again though! :)


	22. Chapter 22

Hey guys! Wow, thank you everyone for hanging in there with me! Almost 300 reviews... I can honestly say that for this story, I never expected to reach that so THANK YOU very, very much!

Now, there are certain parts of this chapter that I don't think I got completely right... especially the part with John and Sam but I hope that even if I am not 100% wild about it, it will be to your liking. If you guys could tell me what you thought of that part especially, I would be really grateful... I rewrote it a bunch and depending on how this chapter is recieved, I might rewrite it again...

Anyways, thanks again and I hope everyone enjoys the chapter! I'll try to get the next part up soon as we're heading into some pretty heavy angst coming up ;D

* * *

Dean sat on the floor by the fireplace in Jim's library with books sprawled out in front of him just like the rest of his family. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as the words started to blend together. All he could think about was what Sam had told him. How long had his brother been dealing, suffering, in silence while that bastard tortured him from the inside? A couple of days, weeks… since the rape had happened? Dean didn't know and it was killing him that he didn't have a solution to make his brother's pain stop. He sighed and hung his head in his hands, feeling drained emotionally and physically.

John glanced up from his researching when he heard Dean yawn and saw how tired and worn-out his eldest looked. He then glanced at the clock and felt guilty when he realized just how late, or rather early, it was, especially since he knew Dean had work in the morning. "Dean, why don't you head up to bed son?" He suggested. "We can handle it down here."

Dean nodded and stood, placing the large book on the coffee table. "Alright yeah but ah, can I talk to you for a few minutes?" He asked sounding somewhat hesitant.

John nodded and followed his son out of the library. "What is it?" He asked concerned.

"You know how earlier you told me that something had been off with Sam all day?" Dean questioned, not looking at his dad.

John nodded again. "Did you get him to talk?" He asked curious and hoping that Dean had found out why Sam had seemed as if he'd been in a bit of a different world earlier.

"Yeah, dad… it's him." Dean sighed knowing that was a vague answer but not knowing how else to phrase this newest revelation. "It's the fucking prick who… who raped him." _That was hard_ Dean thought sarcastically as he mentally rolled his eyes at his prior hesitation to tell his dad.

"What?" John asked, a bit more loudly than he had wanted. Both he and Dean glanced towards the stairs, relieved when it seemed as if Sam was still asleep. "Dean, what the hell do you mean it's him? How is that even possible?"

_I have no fucking clue_ Dean thought to himself. "He said that the guy is in here," Dean pointed to his own forehead as he said so. "The guy fucking talks to Sam, dad… tells him horrible shit, I mean, I don't know what exactly but enough to reduce him to tears."

John growled upset that there was something else they had to deal with now besides the competition and finding the head honcho of it all, both of those were big enough problems on their own.

"I don't know how or why they're connected but Jesus dad, how much more can he take?" Dean asked worriedly.

John shrugged wondering the same thing himself. "I can't believe he didn't think to mention it to any of us!" He said exasperatedly a few minutes later.

Dean's head snapped up and he looked at his dad incredulously even though the same thought had occurred to him too. "He was probably scared shitless dad… I mean, it isn't like this has been easy on him." Dean said, defending his brother even if he too wished that Sam had come forward with this sooner. _You don't even know how long it's been going on, maybe it started yesterday_ Dean thought, not wanting to accuse his brother of something without knowing all the facts first.

John sighed. "I know that Dean, that's not what I meant but still he knows he's in danger right now and this…" He drifted off, knowing that both of them knew that this added fact increased Sam's chance of being in danger again. _Well fuck that_ John thought. He didn't care what he had to do or who he had to kill, nothing was ever going to happen to Sam ever again.

"What are we going to do?" Dean asked quietly, several minutes later.

John shook his head. He honestly had no idea what the plan was now, he didn't know how this was happening and he definitely didn't know how to stop it. He glanced in the direction of Jim's library and smiled ruefully. "Maybe Jim will know something."

Dean nodded, hoping that was the truth as he didn't want Sam to have to deal with this for any longer than he had to. _He's already suffered too much because of this black-eyed freak_ Dean thought to himself.

"I'll tell you what I find out in the morning, alright?" John promised. "Get a good night's sleep Dean… something tells me we're going to need it."

Dean nodded, understanding what his dad meant. He wasn't sure what was going to happen from this point on but he knew that it couldn't be good. "Night dad." He replied, grateful for the reprieve and instantly took off up the stairs. He quietly opened the bedroom door and made his way inside. Being careful not to wake Sam, he slowly peeled the covers back and crawled in, pulling Sam closer to him knowing that it tended to help the kid sleep better. Sam made a small noise of complaint but Dean quickly shushed him before he fell asleep himself.

~DW/SW~

Dean was in the middle of eating his breakfast the next morning when he heard the sound of crunching gravel and a quick series of doors opening and closing. Dean knew that it would probably turn out to be nothing but after last night, Dean was not taking any chances. "What now?" He grumbled as he put his bowl with his cereal in it down on the counter and headed towards the front door. He was stopped with his hand on the doorknob when he recognized the three voices coming up the front porch. "Caleb, Bobby, Josh? What the hell are you guys doing here?" He asked after he had thrown the door open shocked to see the three men standing on Jim's porch.

Caleb instantly stepped forward, a worried look on his face. "Where's Sam?" He demanded.

"He's sleeping." Dean answered confused about why his friends looked as if they had been in a huge rush. He glanced at Bobby and Josh, hoping that one of them would be able to help clue him in and he saw that Josh's expression while worried, also seemed to be a bit more pain-filled. _What the hell is going on?!_ Dean silently yelled, wishing someone would hurry up and give him some fucking answers as soon as possible. "Guys, what's going on? I thought all of you would be out of state by now?"

Bobby spoke up now. He took the ball cap off his head and twisted it nervously. "It was a trap… we realized that when he found Josh injured and hiding." He said, nodding his head in the direction of the other man.

It was then that Dean noticed the white bandage that was wrapped around Josh's shoulder. "Shit…" He groaned stepping back and finally allowing the three other hunters entrance. "You're okay, right man?" Dean asked as he gave Josh a closer look.

Josh nodded, smirking tiredly. "Yeah, Bobby patched me up right."

"Well, if you idjits learned to pay attention to your surroundings then maybe I wouldn't have to be such a damn good field medic!" Bobby replied sarcastically before he looked around Jim's living room, noticing the chair and the rope that were placed underneath the Devil's trap. Knowing that the room had been tidied up after Sam's failed exorcism months ago, he began to worry about what might have gone down during his absence. "What happened here?" He asked his tone serious.

Dean smirked tiredly and scratched the back of his head. "We had a visitor last night."

"Don't tell me that it was one of those fucking freaks!" Caleb replied causing Dean to nod. "Ah hell Dean, I'm sorry! We tried to get back as soon as we could."

"Is Sam okay?" Josh asked concerned about what may have happened to the teen.

Dean nodded. "He was pretty shaken up last night but I think he'll be okay." He sighed and shook his head as he thought about just how not okay Sam would probably end up being if they didn't find a way to stop the voice in his brother's head from doing any further damage. "Look, give me a couple minutes and then we can talk, okay?"

They all nodded and watched as Dean headed upstairs and then returned a few short minutes later, his cell phone pressed to his ear. "… thanks Tom. I know it's late notice but… yeah, alright. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Who was that?" Bobby asked.

"My boss, I decided to take the day off." Dean explained as he glanced upstairs.

~DW/SW~

The group heard the front door open about a half hour later causing Dean to shout out, "Dad?"

"Yeah, it's me but what are you still doing here? I thought you had work?" John asked back. He had been surprised to see the Impala still sitting in the driveway and had silently wondered if Sam was okay this morning or if something had happened.

"Yeah, I called in sick… figured I'd stay home today, help keep an eye on things." Dean explained, standing from his seat on the couch.

John nodded but stopped with a surprised look plastered on his face when he saw that they had company. "Guys…?" He questioned drifting off wondering why their friends had returned early. _Maybe that means they got lucky_ he thought hopefully, praying that the early return meant that this was now over though he knew deep down that that was a long shot wish.

Dean sighed and quickly filled his dad in on what Josh and Bobby had told him about being trapped at the house, presumably to take away a fair amount of Sam's protection detail. Dean watched as an angry look crossed his dad's face and he almost felt sorry for the next poor bastard they ran into… almost. "What about last night… did Jim know anything?" Dean asked remembering that his dad and Jim had stayed up later than he had, trying to find some information that they could use.

John sighed and shook his head dejectedly. "He has a theory but nothing solid."

"A theory's better than nothing." Dean said, latching onto any 'good' development that he could. "What is it?" He questioned when his dad remained quiet.

"Jim thinks that it may be because the babies are carrying the demon's DNA and that forces Sam and the bastard to be bonded and he can control or at least read Sam's thoughts because of it. That sounds like something this scum would be capable of…" John explained.

"Wait, what? How in the hell is the demon controlling Sam's thoughts… the guy hasn't been around… has he?" Caleb asked, feeling both annoyed at being left out of the conversation and anxious about what he would find out when he was clued in.

"Sammy… he says he can hear the guy inside his head. I guess the guy tells him how he's coming again and gives him ideas and shit like that… he says that the guy promises him with a second round." Dean explained, trying but failing miserably to keep the anger out of his voice.

"Well fuck that." Caleb muttered voicing John's earlier thoughts. "Bastard ain't touching the kid, not on my watch."

_Oh, what? You think you can do a better job than me?_ Dean thought silently. _Well, at least with two of us, the bastard will have more roadblocks to get through._ "What about the demon's name… you guys find anything on that?" Dean asked wanting to know more and already knowing that no demon was ever going to get their hellish hands on his brother ever again.

John nodded and walked into Jim's library returning a couple minutes later carrying a large, dusty book in his hands. "Here." He said flipping the book open to the dog-eared page.

Dean took the book from his dad and started reading the tiny font, muttering softly under his breath. "At first glance Philatanus could easily be mistaken for an angel. He stands at a tiny 4'2 with a build that appears almost fragile. The small demon's skin is a pale ivory yet it possesses just enough of a pigment to avoid appearing sickly, rather it emits a healthy glow." Dean said, reading aloud, his voice growing stronger with the knowledge that they now had an identity to the demon behind all of this and now knew what the fucker looked like. "Philatanus' golden blonde hair is naturally curly and loops down across his forehead; however the majority which descends past his shoulders has long since been tamed. Beneath the curls shine his large eyes, a shade halfway between purple and black. At each shoulder blade is a large scar, the only imperfection his aura cannot mask…" Dean drifted off, looking up at his friends and family. "Sounds like the fugly creature shouldn't be too hard to find."

Caleb nodded. "Yeah, too bad for him he's not exactly inconspicuous." Caleb reached down and took the book from Dean, reading the rest of it himself. "Philatanus bares a deep resentment towards life in general and humans in particular… For this purpose he began crushing the emotions of humans simply for his own amusement. The affection he demonstrated was generally false…" Caleb read, smirking suddenly and causing Dean to look at him concerned, so far, there hadn't really been anything to smirk about.

"What?" He asked cautiously.

"Dude hates dogs," He explained glancing over at where Bummer was currently sitting, watching all of them. "Apparently, he was attacked by some hellhounds and is deathly afraid of 'em now."

Dean did let out a little laugh at that. "Anybody who is afraid of that dog is completely wimpy." He said smiling affectionately at the golden retriever.

"Hey, it works in our favor. Bummer, come here," He called. The dog hurried over to them and placed himself at Caleb's feet. Caleb set the book down and kneeled down, scratching the dog behind his ears. "Here's the deal, this dude…" He said picking the book up and showing the dog the rough sketch of the demon, acting as if the dog knew exactly what he was talking about. "This dude here, he ever comes by, you gotta act mean okay? Bark and growl, right boy?"

"He will." Dean interrupted remembering how just before he'd found Sam, Bummer had come up to him and tried to lead him to Sam. "He knows who to look out for. What else does the book say?" He asked.

Caleb bit his lip as he glanced back down at the book and continued reading. "All it really comes down to is the fact that the guy is a scorned angel and wants to see others suffer too." Caleb summarized.

Dean nodded. "Should have gone off in a corner and cried that he was missing his fairy wings." He muttered knowing that when he found the bastard, the little demon would be the only one to suffer anymore.

~DW/SW~

Later that afternoon, Sam wandered into Jim's study, intent on going over the notes he'd made to see if there was anything he was overlooking. _There has to be_ Sam thought. He refused to believe that there was no answer to this… there had to be a solution that didn't involve having to shack up with one of his family members. Sam shivered a bit at the thought of having to do that knowing that he probably wasn't the only one freaked out a bit by that possibility. _Hunh, when did I look at that?_ Sam asked himself, noticing that there were a few more books piled up on the table than he remembered. _I guess I'd better take a second look at 'em then_ Sam thought as he sat down on the couch and pulled the heavy text into his lap.

Sam began flipping through the pages but stopped suddenly when he saw that one of the pages was dog-eared and had his dad's messy scrawl written on the side of it. His breathing began to quicken as he read further down the page, realizing that his dad and probably the others had found at least a part of what he had been looking so desperately for. "Oh my God…" He whispered to himself, surprised and worried that they had seemed to find one of the answers he was looking for so quickly.

_I told you that you wouldn't be the one to find me_ the voice returned, startling Sam out of his musings.

_Yeah but now they know who you are… you're toast_ Sam threatened, hoping that his family wouldn't prove him wrong on that.

_Somebody's cocky this morning, okay I admit I am too_ the demon teased, giggling a bit when Sam shivered again. _Did you read all of it Sam, hmm? _The demon asked, hoping that the information the book held would help to shatter the fragile remains of his victim's sense of control and security.

Sam ignored, or at least tried to ignore the demon as he finished reading feeling tears gathering in his eyes. "There wasn't a point to raping me… you just did it because you could and because you were angry…" Sam didn't know why but he had thought that maybe if there was a reason why the demon had chosen to rape him though he wasn't sure what that would be, he might not feel so humiliated but he knew now that that had been nothing more than wishful thinking on his part because he still felt just as humiliated as he always had.

~DW/SW~

Unbeknownst to Sam, his dad and Pastor Jim had been watching him the entire time, both sharing worried looks especially since they now knew that it was more than Sam talking to himself. "You should go talk to him." Jim said quietly after they had watched Sam go out onto the back porch.

"And say what Jim?" John asked, letting his anger at himself show.

"See how he's doing, how he's holding up." Jim answered, sounding just as terse.

John shook his head, sighing a bit. "He doesn't want to talk to me." _That's not necessarily true_ John thought to himself, remembering how just a few weeks ago, he and Sam had talked about how scary it was to be an expectant parent. Sighing and knowing that Jim was right, that it was his job to check up on his son and make sure that all of this wasn't too much for him to handle and if it was, then he needed to be ready to take on as much of it as he could.

"John, go talk to him… find some way to help him deal with this…" Jim practically pleaded when he saw John hesitate. He hated seeing the youngest Winchester like this.

_You are his father _John thought to himself. With that in mind, John headed out to the porch only to pause just outside the door when he saw Sam standing at the edge of the porch, looking out at Jim's vast property.

John knew that if he hadn't been watching Sam over the past several months then he surely wouldn't have recognized the teen standing in front of him. Sam's shoulders were slumped, his head was bowed and he had his arms wrapped defensively around himself, Sam now walked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders and John guessed that to a certain degree, he did.

"When are you leaving?" Sam asked, drawing his dad away from his silent observation. He had heard the heavy footsteps that he knew belonged to his dad and had been waiting to see if the man would say anything to him or if he would have to make the first move.

"What?" John asked surprised at both the fact that Sam had spoken and what he had asked. Surely, Sam didn't think he was just going to pack up and leave, did he?

Sam turned around to face his dad. "When are you leaving?" He asked, trying to show that he would be fine here on his own when instead he wanted to plead with his family to stay with him. "I… I thought that since you guys know who he is now, you'd… you'd all take off."

John stared at Sam and then shook his head. "I don't have any plans to leave Sam, not for a while okay or at least not until we have a solid, substantial lead to go on."

Sam nodded, trying to buy that. _Maybe he is serious… after all, he's stuck around this long_ Sam thought to himself.

"So um, how… how are you doing?" John asked wondering if Sam would tell him how he really felt or if he would try to sugar coat things. If Sam did sugar coat things, John was sure he could get Dean to pull the truth out of him.

"I'm… I'm…" Sam sighed and walked to sit on the porch swing, making sure that one of the pillows was resting against his sore back. He knew he could always lie and say that he was fine but deep down, he knew that his family wouldn't believe that and he didn't have it in him at the moment to try and keep his act up. Sam had thought that telling Dean about the mind-reading demon would help him feel better but instead, now he was just worried what his brother thought about him. _At least dad doesn't know that I'm communicating with the enemy_ Sam thought in a self-depreciating voice.

John quietly watched his son walk away from him and stood there for a moment, unsure of if he should go talk to Sam or if he should keep his distance. _You have to help him_ Jim's words silently repeated inside his head, making John's decision for him. "Dean told me Sam and… and I swear, we are going to make this guy go away for good, alright? He will pay for what he's done."

Sam's eyes widened when he realized that his dad was aware of what was going on inside his head. He was surprised to hear his dad try and reassure him instead of getting a lecture about not divulging this information sooner. Sam just nodded his still bowed head as he tried to keep the tears from falling.

_Okay, what do I say now?_ John asked himself unsure of how to carry on an attempted conversation with Sam or if he should just go inside. The silence lingered and John was about to call it quits and head back inside to do more research when he caught the softly spoken sentence his teenage son had muttered.

"I want out…" Sam whispered, just barely loud enough for his dad to hear as the tears finally fell. Sam leaned as far forward as his stomach would let him and rested his face in his hands.

John walked over to his son but kept about a foot's distance between them. "I know you do Sam, I know and it's almost over, okay? It is… I um…" John got out before Sam cut him off.

"That's not what I mean…" Sam drifted off, this was somewhat strange to talk about with his dad whereas with Dean, it was somehow easier to cry to in front of him and be vulnerable. Sam sighed feeling angry and frustrated. "I want out of me… I'm tired of this," He said motioning to himself and not meaning the twins inside him though they were a part of it. No, Sam was tired of feeling like a used piece of trash, of having to live inside this dirty and used up body. "I… I just… I don't want to be me anymore."

John felt a bit bowled-over when his son said that, said how he just wanted out of his own body as he knew what that felt like. John could vividly remember coming home from the war and wondering how Mary would react to him if she knew just how many people he had killed. He felt as if he would always have their blood on his hands and like there was no amount of soap and water in the world that could make them, him, clean again. Remembering how destructed he had felt, his heart ached at the knowledge that his kid was now experiencing those same emotions. "Sam," John sighed sadly and finally moved to close the gap between them.

"Don't dad… don't tell me how there was nothing I could have done and how it's not my fault… just don't." Sam interrupted, anger flaring up in his voice even as his voice shook with his tears.

John knew getting angry at Sam for interrupting him right now would be stupid and cause even more communication problems between them and that was not what he wanted to accomplish right now. "I know you feel like a stranger in your own body Sam… like… like you're just keeping it running 'til someone else comes along and actually lives in it."

Sam looked up, shock written across his face as his eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"You feel like nothing you do will ever make you be you again and maybe to a certain extent that's true." John explained further before he sighed and ran a hand over his face. Quietly, he reached over to grab one of the chairs Jim had set out and took a seat.

Sam watched his dad sit down, confused and unsure of what to make of his dad's comments. He'd never heard him speak like that, he'd never seen that side of him and he began to feel a mix of worried and intrigued. "Dad?" Sam asked in a shaky voice when John didn't say anything further.

"The first time I killed someone I was eighteen years old and lost in a jungle a million miles away from everything I knew." John started, bringing up the subject of his time in Vietnam for the first time ever in his son's lives. He felt tears prick his eyes and he gazed out at the yard, not really focusing on any one object. "One thing I did know was that I was a changed person because of that… before the war, I didn't think I'd ever be capable of taking another human beings life, ever… I just, I didn't think I was that kind of person but I squeezed the trigger and felt the gun jump… I heard the shot and I saw my target fall and I knew… I knew I was different." John started, wondering how Sam would react to him opening up. "I had killed someone I didn't even know, someone who in reality I didn't have anything against but because he was the enemy, it was my job to kill him…"

Sam remained quiet as he listened to his dad speak in an unusually shaky and emotional tone of voice. "After that for a while and especially after I got back, I was so worried that Mary would see that I was different… that I had changed and that I was a different man now. And because of everything I'd done over there, because of all the people I had killed and all the lives that I had ruined… I thought that there would be no way that there could be a future between us anymore… ever and I told her that." John let out a small, sad chuckle as he got lost in the memories of his homecoming. "When I told her that I thought we should break it off because I wasn't me… I wasn't her John anymore, she just stared at me and then she slapped me across the face… she was livid."

"She was?" Sam whispered, in a way unable to believe that his dad was talking about this… that he was sharing something that normally was so buried he and Dean had never been able to dig it up, not that they had really tried but still… he was beyond surprised to hear his dad speak like this.

John nodded. "She said that she knew I had done things that I normally wouldn't have and she had said that that was alright because the situation had called for it. Hell, she said she was glad that I had been brave enough to pull the trigger because if I hadn't then chances were I wouldn't have returned home to her and she didn't think she could handle that. It didn't matter to your mother that I considered myself spoiled and unfit for her now or that I considered myself to be a murderer, all that mattered was that I was okay and had returned… she said that everything else were things we could work on. To her, I was still John…" John stopped and looked at his son, seeing the tears on his child's face. Silently, he wondered who Sam was crying for. "When I felt like I could never be me again, like I could never really be okay with knowing what I had done… the fact that it was my fingers that had pulled the trigger that had ended someone's life… your mother made me see that yes, I might be different now but it didn't mean that I was a bad person or that I couldn't ever be forgiven." John paused, wiped his wet eyes and looked up at his son. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say Sam?"

Sam averted his eyes and didn't answer his dad's question, he didn't want to talk about himself or how he felt, unsure of whether or not his opinions and thoughts would be accepted and rejected or if he would end up getting criticized for them.

John saw how Sam shied away from him once the conversation was turned back to focus on the brown haired teen and he gently reached out to place a hand on Sam's shoulder, feeling the tiny trembles that were working their way through Sam's body. "Sammy, these past few months… I know you've been through things and had things done to you and done things that have you changed you… we all know that. Hell, I don't think there's one person here who hasn't changed."

Sam glanced up for a moment expecting to see anger burning in his dad's eyes but instead, he saw love and compassion.

"And that's okay," John paused for a moment as he thought about how he wanted to say this. "The things that were done to you, they aren't okay Sam, not in the least." His voice was hard with conviction. "But the fact that you've changed because of them is… I mean, I would have been surprised if you hadn't Sammy."

Sam's jaw twitched as he tried to keep the sobs in.

"I'm… I'm so proud of you kid," John said, hoping that Sam would see and hear his honesty.

"Why?" Sam asked, his chin trembling violently as he looked at his dad with pleading eyes.

John was quiet for several minutes as he thought about how to explain it to Sam. "Because you're fighting." He answered, hoping Sam would know what that simple sentence really meant.

Sam shook his head as his self-control and tears began to fall. "I'm not though dad… I wake up every night with nightmares that scare the shit out of me. Hell, I need to sleep in Dean's bed because I'm too afraid to be on my own! I'm terrified of people, there's no fucking way I can fight off anything right now… I'm pathetic… absolutely fucking pathetic."

That did it for John. "Samuel Andrew Winchester, you are not pathetic, you're human!" John yelled, not really meaning to but the amount of anger and grief he had inside him not letting him calm down. "You're human Sam, human and you've reacted exactly the way I expected you too, the way any of us would."

Sam silently scoffed. _Great dad, thanks_ he thought having a hard time believing what his dad was telling him.

"Sam, I'd be worried about you if you didn't cry or get mad or…" John drifted off, shaking his head softly. "Everybody has nightmares Sam, everyone and given what happened…" _How the hell do I get through your thick skull?_ John asked himself. "I had nightmares, ya know?" He said suddenly.

Sam sniffled and looked up at his dad. "You did?" He asked.

John nodded. "For months, I'd wake up fearing that I'd still be back in the jungle or sometimes I'd hear a car backfire and I'd jump because I'd thought a gun had gone off…" John sighed again before he turned back to face Sam. "I know you want to be back to the old you Sam, you want to be able to act as if everything that's happened over the past six months has had no affect on you at all," John watched as his son nodded.

"I just don't want to be so scared anymore." Sam interrupted.

"I know Sam, I know and that'll happen, it will… it took me a while to come to terms with the things I'd done over there, to realize that I had to do those things… I didn't have a choice and you'll see that too Sam." John reassured, hoping that he wasn't coming off sounding clichéd. "That none of what's happened is your fault or anything you've deserved or that any of it has made you any less of a human being."

"What about a Winchester?" Sam asked quietly. "Am I still a Winchester?"

John looked at Sam for a moment before he nodded and pulled his son into a hug. "That is something Sammy that will never, never change… I swear Sam, you will always be my boy."

Sam reached up as he buried his face in his dad's shoulder and finally let the tears he'd been holding back all afternoon finally spill.

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Hey! So how was that? What about the part with Sam and John, could you understand what John was trying to convey to Sam or did it just not flow/ sound realistic...? Thanks again guys for continuing to read and I would of course be thrilled to hear from you! I'll try to update sometime soon. :)


	23. Chapter 23

Hey guys! So, here's the next chapter and I really hope that it doesn't scare anybody off (that sounds bad doesn't it...). There's no wincest in this chapter (we're not quite there yet) but Sam and Dean do have a... discussion and I hope that both Sam and Dean come across as hesitant in this chapter... neither one is really looking forward to where this story is headed, at least not for a little while.

Thanks SO much to everyone who is reading this story, I've had a lot of fun writing it and that's mostly because of you guys :D I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as well and I'd love to hear what you thought of it!

Enjoy :)

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"Hey Dean?" Caleb asked as he, Dean, and Josh all sat outside on the deck almost a week later enjoying a couple of beers.

"Yeah?" Dean asked after he'd taken a long swig from his beer.

"Have you thought about… it, at all?" Caleb asked, sounding a bit more nervous than he had just a few moments ago.

"Thought about what?" Dean questioned as he quirked a brow at Caleb and waited for him to explain.

Josh glanced over at Caleb, knowing exactly what the young man was talking about. The two of them had had a talk the day before once they realized that not a single book in Jim's library contained the spell or ritual that they were looking for. Both of them, along with Bobby, had observed that while everyone in the house knew that time was beginning to run out but they also noticed that nobody was bringing up what that actually meant. It was like everyone had conveniently forgotten that one aspect of the competition.

"Caleb, have I thought about what?" Dean repeated after he took a sip of his beer feeling the crisp fall breeze blowing across his face.

"The competition… the whole reason for it…" Josh sighed as Dean's eyes widened with realization.

"Fuck!" He swore. "That is… that's no, not gonna happen." Dean shivered. Giving his kid brother a shot in the ass had been bad enough… there was no way he could actually have sex with the kid and as for the other people in the house… it was pretty much just as bad. Dean made a grossed out face as he eyed his beer feeling his stomach begin to churn a bit. "Thanks a lot guys, it's ruined now!" He pouted because those thoughts mixed with alcohol didn't sound all that appealing to him although he figured that with what he might end up having to do, alcohol would be needed… lots and lots of it.

"This is serious Dean." Josh stated in a somewhat angry and annoyed voice as he wasn't in the mood to put with Dean's bravado or jokes.

"Oh serious doesn't even begin to cover it." Dean responded before he sighed and stood. "Look, we still have a bit of time alright so let's not jump the gun on this."

"I don't know if we have a choice anymore, he's due in what 3… 3 ½ months? That's not a whole lot of time." Josh argued. _Especially when we still have to hunt down this sucker_ he silently added as he spared a glance at the bandage on his shoulder knowing that was the only thing keeping him from the hunt right now. It was obvious that whoever was going into this fight needed to go into it in top shape. Josh just hoped he'd be healed enough by then.

Dean collapsed back down onto the deck chair. "You have no idea how freaking wrong this is!"

Caleb snorted. "He's our lil bro too, Dean, I think we have some clue about it."

"Ugh… there's gotta be a different way!" Dean practically pleaded because besides it just being gross and disgusting, he didn't think he'd even actually be able to do it because he highly doubted that he would ever get hard from anything his brother could do… and well, that posed a bit of a problem, now didn't it?

"If there is, I got no idea what it would be." Caleb replied looking almost as panicked as Dean was.

"I mean, there has to be some spell or something…" Dean continued as he began to pace again, trying to think of anything that he knew from his years of experience that would offer some kind of solution. "Make a deal with a crossroads demon?"

Josh glared at Dean as he threatened him knowing that there was no way that that would end well. "You do that and I swear to God Dean!"

"Fine, no deals… was just trying to think here." He mumbled.

Josh shrugged and shook his head. "I don't know… I mean, I don't like having to do this or making him go through with this anymore than the rest of you but don't you think that we would have found something by now?" He asked.

Dean shook his head muttering, "This is unfreakinbelievable!" He sank back down onto the couch before pushing himself up and standing, running his hands tiredly through his hair. "I'll… I'll go talk to him." Dean said even as his feet seemed to be unable to move. "You serious… we really gotta do this?" Dean asked again hoping that somehow the answer would be different now.

"As a heart attack." Caleb answered.

"Jesus freaking Christ!" Dean shouted as he finally began to head back inside the house. _You are going to freak him right out_ he thought hoping against hope that Sam would completely refuse the idea.

~DW/SW~

Dean entered his and Sam's bedroom almost a half hour later having paused on the stairs as he tried to figure out some sane way to approach this and yet he was still pretty empty handed. He saw Sam lying back on the bed, propped up by pillows since it was now difficult for him to lie flat on his back what with the twins compressing his ability to breathe easily. "Hey, how ya feeling?" Dean asked, pausing by the doorway. He tried hard to not let his mind wander to the conversation that he had just had downstairs or the one that he was supposed to be having with his brother now. _This demon's freaking fried!_ Dean silently promised.

"Okay… can't seem to get them to calm down though." Sam answered letting out a little moan at the feel of his twins moving inside him. Usually, he'd be glad to be feeling them this much but he was kind of tired and they'd been pretty active for the majority of the day.

_Did he just moan?_ Dean asked himself and then he tried to ignore the fact that he may have to get very used to hearing that sound from his brother. _Can I please scratch my eyes out after this?_ He silently begged. _And find some way to go deaf?_

"Ugh… come on babies, calm down for daddy please?" Sam asked as he continued to tenderly rub the stretched skin.

Dean let out a soft chuckle as he finally crossed the room to sit beside his brother.

"It's not funny!" Sam whined, glaring at Dean while he tried to find some comfortable position to be in.

"Sorry," Dean apologized, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing again. After a moment's hesitation, he gently reached out a hand to place it on his brother's swollen stomach. He let his hand linger there for a moment, silently sympathizing with his brother before he pulled his hand away.

"Something wrong Dean?" Sam asked seeing the conflict written across his brother's face.

Dean glanced up at Sam and then shook his head. _Don't freak him out just yet_ Dean told himself. "Nah Sammy, everything's good." He lied.

Sam nodded even though he didn't truly believe Dean but he decided to let it go… for now anyways.

"Um, okay well ah… I was just checking on ya but ah I should really get going." Dean said standing abruptly and leaving the room as fast as his legs could carry him leaving Sam looking bewildered. Didn't Dean have the day off? And since Bobby and Steven were helping their dad with the house, Dean had opted to stay home today.

Dean hurried downstairs, relieved when he felt the Impala's keys in his pocket as he headed straight for the front door leaving Caleb and Josh shooting each other worried looks. "Well, that went well." Caleb muttered under his breath as he cast a quick glance upstairs, both of them wondering how Sam had reacted.

~DW/SW~

Dean raced down the empty country road, a million thoughts coursing through his head. _Jesus Christ! I can't do that… he's my little brother for fuck's sake!_ Dean quickly pulled off to the side of the road, rushing out of the car so he didn't puke in his baby.

_Oh god, Sammy, what the hell are we going to do?_ Dean asked himself once his stomach had finally settled down a bit. He sat there on the side of the road for several minutes debating their very, very limited options. _We don't have to do anything… I mean, we've still got time…_ Dean silently debated. _Yeah, 3 ½ months… not that long. If I don't do it, his children will be half demon… that'd kill him_ Dean thought as he remembered Sam's changed attitude towards the twins in recent months. _Maybe we could lie, don't and say we did?_ Suddenly, Dean had an image of two five-year-olds being able to pin their toys to the bedroom wall. Growling, Dean leaned forward and rested his head against the steering wheel as he realized that that plan would probably fail miserably as well.

"And if I don't do it, then who the fuck would?" He asked aloud knowing that there was no way in hell that their dad, Jim, Bobby, or Steven was going to be having sex with Sam. "Gross, gross, gross!" Dean shouted out at the rather unpleasant images his mind was currently conjuring up, relieved that there was currently nothing left in his stomach to come back up. _What about Caleb... or Josh?_ Dean asked himself feeling a bit surprised when he rejected that idea too. _You don't trust them enough to have them watch his back on a hunt, how the hell can you trust them to have sex with him and not hurt the kid?_ Growling again, Dean came to the unsettling decision that he was unfortunately going to have to be the one to do the deed with Sam. "Shit, I need a drink…" He muttered as he crawled back inside the Impala and started her up.

~DW/SW~

"Has anybody seen Dean?" John asked as he walked into the living room a few hours later. He immediately noticed the sheepish looks that appeared on Caleb and Josh's faces. Normally, he would have laughed at seeing his hardened hunter friends looking like they'd been caught with their hands in the cookie jar but with Sam pestering him that he was worried because once again Dean wasn't answering his phone, he wasn't really in the mood. Especially since he, Steven, and Bobby had just put in a long, hard day's work at the house. "What did you two do?"

Josh and Caleb both looked at each other and then gave John an apologetic look. "We had a talk with him…" Caleb offered.

"A talk? What the hell about?" John asked confused.

Caleb glanced around before answering, wanting to check and see if Sam was anywhere nearby.

"What about?" John repeated, growing angrier as he saw Caleb stalling. It wasn't really like his son to just take off without telling anybody unless he was really pissed and that made him wonder what the two guys, especially since one of which was almost like a second brother to his son, had said to him.

"Look, we've been searching for months now and found nada…" Caleb started before Josh cut him off.

"We just wanted him to be prepared that if in the next couple of weeks, we can't find whatever fucking spell is out there then we're going to have to do this thing the natural way." Josh explained.

John stared at the two of them for a minute before it clicked what Josh meant by the natural way. "Let me get this straight, you two idiots cornered Dean, told him that he was going to have to have sex with his kid brother and now we don't know where the fuck he is meanwhile Sam's working himself into a panic over Dean's disappearing act!" John recapped, feeling furious.

Josh stood and faced the angry father. "You can be mad at us all you want but who here do you trust the most to take care of that kid?" He asked.

John's jaw was clenched shut as he stared at Josh for several minutes before he hung his head knowing Josh was right. "They're brothers Josh, brothers… it's not… they can't… that's not the way it's supposed to work."

"None of this has been how it's supposed to be John, I mean Sam is almost seven freaking months pregnant and I'm pretty damn certain that the man upstairs never intended for a dude to ever carry a baby, let alone go this far with it." Josh replied, keeping his voice even. "And if we don't do this then guess what in three months time, he's going to be giving birth to demons John, demons! We can't let that happen… we can't, no matter what."

"Wow, wow, wait a second here," Steven had been in the kitchen fixing something to eat when he'd heard the heated argument. "You can't be serious about this."

Josh turned to look at the doctor. "Then what do you suggest we do? It's either Dean's the daddy or some God damn hellspawn is going to be living here soon. I know you're new to the hunt and all but still, you've got to be bright enough to realize how shitty that would turn out."

"Do you realize what could go wrong, combining their DNA like that…?" Steven asked doubting that the man before him knew much about the scientific workings of the human body and just how fragile it was.

"Listen Doc, I'm glad you've been here to take care of Sam and everything but this is a chance we have to take." It was obvious Josh was firm in his beliefs.

"Says you or do I get to decide?" A voice said from behind the group making everyone turn to see Sam standing on the stairs, looking both pissed and a bit frightened before Sam turned on his heel and hurried up the stairs, slamming his bedroom door behind himself.

John turned to look at the rest of the group. "Happy now?" He asked sarcastically before he dashed into the kitchen, snatched his keys up off of the kitchen counter and then left without saying a single word to anyone.

Caleb turned to Josh and growled, "What the fuck is with Winchesters and their disappearing acts?!"

~DW/SW~

Sam sat on what had become his and Dean's bed, lost deeply in thought. He had been afraid of this, afraid that his family would draw the same conclusion he had come to just the other day. And Josh had sounded so angry… he wondered what would happen if he said no and didn't have sex with anybody and his twins remained exactly as they were, would his family accept them or would he be forced to give them up. Hell, did he have the option of saying no? A sharp kick to the stomach caused Sam to sniffle a little as he gently patted his stomach. "Don't worry… I'll figure something out, promise." Sam quietly whispered to his twins even as he doubted his ability to solve this problem.

_How do you think your family would feel if you left them with a pair of demons, hunh Sam? Would they like a little reminder of me?_ His rapist's voice whispered tauntingly. _I wonder what they're going to do with them after you leave… maybe leave them outside over night, see if being related to me helps them survive or if they'd freeze to death from the cold._

Sam clenched his eyes shut and growled, refusing to believe that his family would be that cruel to a pair of newborns regardless of where they came from.

_You're leaving, who is to say that they won't too?_ The demon asked him.

"No, no," Sam muttered as he thought about what his family might be capable of. "They wouldn't do that, none of them but especially not Dean."

_So you think but come on, does Dean really want to give up his fun, free lifestyle for my pair of brats… I don't think so jeez Sam, I never knew you and I had so much in common_ the demon teased.

Sam shook his head, feeling more confused now about what he should do than ever. Sighing, he rubbed his belly and prayed that somehow he would be able to make the best decision that he could.

~DW/SW~

Having waited until his hangover was gone; it was dark by the time Dean pulled back up to the house. He cursed when he saw that the living room light was on… he really wasn't in a people mood, especially to deal with the two people who had made him come to a rather nauseating decision. Feeling bone tired after his long drinking session, Dean sat in the car dreading having to go into the house. He wasn't sure how he was going to act around Sam, what with this hanging over their heads. He was somewhat startled when he heard a knock on the driver side window. Dean turned his head to see Caleb standing beside the Impala.

"Look man, we're sorry alright… we didn't mean to jump down your throat." Caleb apologized once Dean had opened the car door and climbed out. "It's just we're running out of options here…"

"You think I don't know that." Dean growled out impatiently.

Caleb put his hands up in a placating gesture and the two stood in stony silence for the next several minutes, both unsure of what to say to the other.

"I don't… I freaking hate this Caleb but for some God damn reason, you guys are right… I don't know how the hell I'm going to bring it up to Sam…" He ranted, stopping when he saw Caleb flinch. "What did you do?" Dean asked angrily, his big brother instincts starting to ring the warning bells in his head.

"Ah, about that… Sam overheard us arguing with your dad about it…" Caleb explained unconsciously stepping back as he waited for volcano Dean to explode.

"Great now dad knows his sons are going to be shacking up together and Sam found out about it because y'all can't keep your mouths shut… that's awesome, thanks!" Dean smiled sarcastically just wanting to go crawl into his bed and forget that this night ever happened before he remembered that Sam had taken up to sleeping in his bed. _I so call the couch_ he growled as he looked up at the front porch and for the second time that day, his feet felt glued to the ground.

"Dean?" Caleb asked, sounding somewhat hesitant when five minutes had passed and Dean hadn't moved or spoken.

"What if I hurt him?" Dean asked so quietly that Caleb wasn't totally sure he'd actually heard Dean speak.

"You won't Dean, it's… that's… that's why Josh and I think that if we do have to do this, do what the demons want, then it's gotta be you. Sam means more to you than anybody and we know you'll take good care of him." Caleb answered. "Because if you don't…" He drifted off, a soft smirk playing on his lips hoping to be able to release some of the tension that was surrounding them.

Dean nodded, knowing where Caleb was coming from already having had this conversation with himself earlier in the day.

"Come on, let's go… I'm pretty sure the kid's been waiting up for you." Caleb said as he led the way inside the house.

_Isn't that just dandy?_ Dean asked himself knowing that if Sam was awake and waiting for him, then he had to go see him.

~DW/SW~

"Hey," Dean said quietly as he entered his and Sam's bedroom seeing that yup, Sam was indeed still awake. He noticed though that oddly enough, Sam was back in his own bed.

Sam nervously flicked his eyes to his big brother as he wondered where Dean stood on the issue of him having sex with someone in the house in order to make his twins human. _This is what you wanted, for them to be human_ Sam reminded himself. _But I didn't want to have to do it this way…_ he countered. He didn't think Dean would force him to but then he never thought that he would have ended up pregnant and raped either. That thought made Sam pull the blankets a little tighter around himself and he avoided looking his brother in the face.

Dean closed the door behind him and slowly walked over to sit on his own bed so that he was facing his brother, the dim lighting just barely allowing him to be able to make out the frown on his brother's face. _What do I say? _Dean silently questioned. He had no idea how to purpose this whacked out idea to Sam without either freaking Sam out that he'd gone mental or scaring the shit out of the kid.

"Where were you?" Sam asked quietly and with no accusations in his voice, just curiosity.

"I ah… I had to go out for a bit, just do some stuff." Dean answered vaguely.

Sam nodded as he bit his lip, wondering what he was supposed to say to his brother now.

"Listen um, I know it's late and you probably want to go to sleep but ah, can we talk?" Dean asked.

Surprised, Sam nodded albeit a bit hesitantly. "What… what about?" He asked.

"Um, you?" Dean suggested, flinching a small bit at that.

"What about me?" Sam asked, worry coloring his voice now.

Dean sighed and hung his head as he searched for the right words to use. "Um… you remember a couple months back when ah, when we found out what might have to happen if we couldn't find a spell or whatever?" Dean asked.

Sam nodded, biting his lip hoping that Dean wouldn't ask something of him that Sam wasn't sure he would ever feel comfortable with ever again.

"Well ah, it kind of looks like we might be at a crucial point now because we're kind of running out of time and well ya know, we kind of gotta make some decisions…" Dean drifted off. _Oh yeah, you spelled it out real clear for him didn't you_ Dean thought to himself sarcastically.

"Dean," Sam's voice trembled as he slowly began to shake his head. _Please don't make me do this, please… please_ Sam silently begged.

"No what?" Dean asked concerned. Sure, he wasn't exactly looking forward to having sex with his brother but he certainly didn't want the kid to be afraid of him.

"Do we have to?" Sam asked sounding so scared and frightened that it made Dean want to go downstairs and tell everyone that they could fuck their opinions up their asses because there was no way he was putting his brother through that kind of torture ever again.

_I wish like hell we didn't Sam_ Dean thought as he stayed seated on his bed watching as his brother bowed his head. "Do you trust me?" Dean asked after a moment as he moved to kneel in front of Sam.

Sam bit his lip as he nodded since Dean was pretty much the only person Sam felt completely safe with nowadays.

"Then trust me when I say that I'll never hurt you, okay?" Dean reassured as he gently reached up to take one of Sam's hands in his. _There have been way too many chick flick moments between us lately dude_ Dean thought to himself.

"We… we're not doing it tonight, are we?" Sam asked fearfully.

Dean shook his head. "No, I… we'll do it when you're ready… I just didn't want to spring it on you, is all, okay?"

Sam nodded again even as he thought that he didn't think he would ever be ready. "Josh… Josh sounded angry." Sam said suddenly, hoping that he wasn't saying anything that he wasn't supposed to.

Dean's eyebrows rose up in confusion and anger. "He did?" He asked.

"Yeah um… dad and Steven kind of got into a fight with Josh and Caleb earlier," Sam explained. "Steven said it's dangerous for us to do this because we have the same DNA and dad was just well, he wasn't happy with them insisting you be the one."

"What did Josh and Caleb do?" Dean asked, ready to run downstairs and clock the older man a good one.

"They just kind of insisted that this is where we're at now and that we don't… I don't have a choice anymore really." Sam glanced up at his brother and Dean saw the worry in Sam's eyes.

"You always have a choice Sam, always," He said cupping Sam's cheek in his hand. "I promised you I wasn't going to hurt you and I meant it alright? I promise I won't force you okay?"

Sam nodded again, relieved that he had Dean to support him through this.

"Josh isn't the one calling the shots here," Dean said as he pointed to himself and then Sam. "You are… this... whatever we end up doing… it's just between you and me, alright." _There isn't enough alcohol in the world to make this sane_ Dean thought to himself, hoping Sam wouldn't read his hesitation about it the wrong way.

_Can I trust him?_ Sam asked himself as he stared at his brother trying to find some reason of why Dean would force him against his will. _He's never hurt me… not intentionally_ Sam told himself before he finally nodded a little, deciding that he just might be able to trust his brother with this.

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Hey, so how was that? I hope you enjoyed it and I look forward to hearing from you ;) I wouldn't expect the next chapter to come so quickly as I have to wrap up Into the Real World (which I'm sort of struggling with... for those of you that are reading that story) and lately, we've had several family issues pop up as well so I may be quite busy these next couple days but I'll try to update soon. Thanks again for reading this story, your support really means a lot! :)


	24. Chapter 24

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter and I hope you all will enjoy it. I'm sorry if this update seemed to take a while... things have been rather crazy at my house lately but luckily, they seem to be settling down a little.

Anyways, thanks again for all your reviews, favorites, and support! All of those things really do mean a lot and I hope that the rest of the story will be just as enjoyable! Like always, I'd love to hear from any of you who are willing to leave me a review! Either way, enjoy :)

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Sam and Dean had essentially been avoiding one another for the past week. They had taken to sleeping in separate beds again and barely spoke now other than softly muttered 'good mornings' and 'good nights'. Both were afraid of the decisions they would have to make once they did start talking again and neither was in any real rush, despite their time crunch, to move forward.

Dean stood in the kitchen early one Saturday morning about a week and a half after he and Sam had discussed what all of this might mean for the future of their relationship. He was quietly sipping a freshly brewed cup of coffee watching, silently, as his brother spent his morning alone out on Jim's porch. He may not have spoken much to his brother recently but he had been observing him, watching as Sam seemed to slip farther and farther back in his recovery with every passing day.

_He's back to being skittish _Dean thought. He had noticed how intently Sam watched each member of the house, almost as if he expected to be jumped by one of them. It was the same stare Sam had had in the weeks immediately following the rape and Dean had never wanted to see that look on his brother's face ever again, especially since it made him feel as if he were the bad guy here.

"Dean?" Dean turned when he heard his name and saw his dad standing in the kitchen doorway, dressed in old work clothes.

"You need help on the house?" Dean asked, hoping that his dad wouldn't bring up the obvious distance that had fallen between himself and Sam or the reason behind it as he really didn't want to ever discuss that aspect of his life with his dad. He figured it was one thing for his dad to know that he hung out at local dives and bars after a successful hunt scoring with the local chicks… it was another for him to debate the ethics of his sex life with the man.

John shook his head. "Nah, Steven's coming with me and we're almost finished anyways." He explained before the two stood in a somewhat awkward and tense silence. He and Steven had finished redoing what would be Sam and Dean's bedroom along with the kitchen and most of the living room. The only big project he had left was to retile the bathroom but he hoped to get that finished within the next two weeks. Also, he had decided to leave what would become the babies' nursery alone and let Sam decide how to decorate it because he sure as hell had no idea what his son wanted.

"When can we move in?" Dean asked as he walked over to the counter and set his mug down. He picked up the still hot kettle from the stove and began to make himself his second cup of the day.

"Probably in about a month." John answered figuring that that timeframe left them still with a little under a month to get settled before the twins came provided everything happened on schedule.

Dean nodded and his gaze returned back to the porch and where Sam was. "That'll be good." He muttered softly.

John followed his son's gaze and sighed as he shook his head. "You guys can't keep ignoring each other like this." He finally blurted out some minutes later.

"Not ignoring him." Dean argued softly, knowing that it was a weak response.

"Dean," John warned, silently telling his son not to argue with him on this.

Dean spun around, nearly slamming the ceramic mug down onto the counter top. "What the hell do you want me to do dad?!" He asked with an angry look on his face. "Because you can't seriously tell me that you want us to…" Dean drifted off as he was so not saying that he was going to possibly be having sex with his brother in front of their dad.

John shrugged feeling torn. On one hand, Dean was right. He didn't want his sons to ever have that kind of relationship knowing that it wouldn't be healthy for either one of them, even with all of the other shit they had already gone through. And yet, on the other, he knew that if they didn't do this then in two months time, they would have two half-demons to contend with. And he didn't think anyone would benefit from having to somehow harm the two babies, despite their bloodline. "Yeah well, I don't want to have to deal with demons if I don't have to." John bit back. _I can't believe it's come down to this… Mary, please don't hate me_ John thought to himself wondering what his feisty wife would've done in this situation.

Dean shook his head in confusion as he tried to comprehend his dad's reasoning. "So, you would rather have me… father Sam's children?" He asked as an unconscious shiver traveled down his spine.

"No but what choice do we have?" John asked with a grim look on his face just as Pastor Jim walked into the room, dressed in his 'priest-threads' as Dean called them. "I'll be home later, call me if anything happens." John said as he nodded to Dean before he quickly left the room.

~DW/SW~

As he returned from that morning's service almost an hour and a half later, Pastor Jim noticed that Sam apparently hadn't moved from his spot on the porch all morning. As he drew nearer to the young man sitting on his porch swing, Jim saw the dark circles under Sam's eyes and he asked the Lord to give his family the strength to make the right choice despite their being caught between a rock and a hard place. "My boy," He sighed affectionately as he hurried into the kitchen and starting the kettle before taking the coco powder out of the cupboard.

~DW/SW~

Sam looked up when he heard the screen door creek open and saw Pastor Jim walking towards him with two steaming cups in his hands.

"I thought you might want something to warm you up, it's a bit chilly out here." Jim smiled softly as he handed Sam one of the steaming mugs.

"Thanks." Sam replied as he took a sip of the warm chocolate drink before he cradled it carefully in his hands.

Jim shook his head as if to say it wasn't a problem and the two sat in companionable silence for a while as Pastor Jim waited for Sam to start, hoping that the young teen wouldn't shut him out.

"How can I do it, Pastor Jim?" Sam asked, almost a half hour later as tears began to form in his eyes. "How can I ask him to do that? I mean, all we did was talk about it and now, we've barely said two words to each other since. If… if…" Sam shook his head, unable to express the serious possible consequences of his current situation. "He'd hate me… I… I don't want him to hate me and the rest of you… all of you would probably never look at me the same… and… and I'd just be the perverted, dirty freak who destroyed this family."

"Sam," Jim started before he reached forward to take the half full mug out of Sam's trembling hands, not wanting the teen to spill it on himself. He placed the mug on the ground, out of kicking range, and then turned back to face the very distraught teen. "Sam, my boy, no one could ever hate you, young man and certainly not your brother." Jim replied, trying to make his voice sound confident.

Sam shook his head again. "I'm asking my brother to commit incest Jim, INCEST!That's a sin and not to mention disgusting by pretty much anyone's standards." Sam argued feeling angry at himself.

Jim knew that trying to prove Sam wrong was useless so he instead, focused on trying to get the teen to see it from a different perspective. "Yes Sam, incest is a sin… and a crime, as it should be." He started causing Sam to huff.

"See." Sam started before Jim put his hand up.

"Let me finish." Sam nodded though Jim could see the uncertainty in the hazel eyes and he knew he only had one shot at this. "The reason incest is usually such a crime, not just in the eyes of society but also to our Lord is because it is almost always done with the intent to harm. It is done to degrade another human being, it's selfish but Sam this… this is not being done to harm anyone. It is being done to save, not just one person but two." Jim's eyes wandered to Sam's rounded stomach, causing the young man to sniffle self-consciously as he placed a hand on the stretched skin. "The choice that you have to make is not an easy one but please know Sam, know that no one, not your family or friends or even our good Savior would ever hold these actions against you." Jim smiled softly as he paused. "If anything Sam, more good would come."

"What? How?" Sam asked with his eyebrows arching in confusion. He had no idea how any good could ever come from this ordeal.

"Your family, Sam, your family has become closer in these last few months than I have seen in years. You and your dad are able to hold actual conversations now without Dean needing to be the referee. And yes, you and Dean currently aren't speaking but…" Sam cut the pastor off.

"He won't talk to me." Sam drifted off, trying to ignore the lonely feeling that that realization stirred up.

Jim nodded in agreement. "True but why don't you talk to him?" He suggested.

Sam stubbornly shook his head no at Jim's idea and stared at his feet.

"And, why is that?" Jim asked, pushing gently to try and get Sam to open up at least a little bit.

"Because… because I'm scared." Sam wiped a hand across his eyes, trying to stop the stem of tears that was starting as he finally answered.

"Ever thought that maybe Dean isn't talking to you because he doesn't want to get rejected either?" Jim asked with a knowing look on his face. He had seen, several times, over the past few days, instances when it looked as if Dean was going to ask his younger brother if there was anything he needed but then the moment would pass and Dean's mouth remained shut.

"My brother isn't that shy." Sam argued softly, trying hard not to buy Jim's theory. _Yeah and he also doesn't do chick flicks… which you're full of._

~DW/SW~

The next evening, Sam looked up when he heard the bedroom door open and he began to feel a bit nervous when Dean entered the room. Sam closed his eyes for a brief moment when he felt his son shift inside him. _Come on little guy, not tonight please?_ He silently begged. Over the past few nights, he had noticed that his son seemed to be the more nocturnal one while his daughter seemed to be more awake during the day. "Shh…" He murmured hoping as he rubbed the swollen skin that the little boy would settle down quickly tonight. When he opened his eyes, Sam caught Dean staring at him causing him to blush even though there was nothing lustful about his brother's look… only concern.

"You um… you have a good shower?" Sam asked, mentally cringing at the lameness of the question.

Dean raised an eyebrow as if to say 'what the hell dude' but nodded anyways. "You ah… you doing ok?" He asked after another couple of minutes had passed.

Sam nodded. "Yeah." He answered even as he glanced over at the nightstand beside his bed and the tub that hadn't been opened in over a week.

Dean internally groaned when he spotted what his brother was looking at. _Please, not tonight_ he thought, not wanting to have to go through that awkwardness right now. "Your ah… is your stomach bothering you?" He asked, hoping that he didn't sound as uncomfortable as he felt.

"Um, no… I… I was actually thinking about reading to them tonight." Sam explained, struggling a bit as he tried to sit up more.

Seeing his brother struggle to get into an upright position, Dean sighed and walked over to the bed. "Here." He said, leaning down to give his brother a hand.

"Thanks." Sam replied, blushing furiously and feeling immensely embarrassed about needing help.

Dean shrugged as he straightened back up, rubbing his hands together as the two brothers stood in strained silence. "Where's the book?" Dean asked, surprising Sam who had started to shift some on the bed so he would be able to grab it better.

Touched, Sam smiled softly and wiped his slightly damp eyes. _It's just a freakin' book_ he told himself, rolling his eyes at his out-of-control and oversensitive emotions. "In the nightstand." He explained, pointing to the top drawer.

Dean nodded and reached down to open the drawer before he took a seat on the bed, the book in hand. He sat so his back was against the headboard and Sam shyly moved so he was resting against his brother's side.

Sam felt grateful when Dean didn't try to squirm away but he still had to ask. "Is this okay? I'm not squishing you or anything, am I?" He asked softly, knowing how much weight he had put on. Steven had told him that it was normal to put on a lot of weight during pregnancy, especially when it was twins but still Sam thought he was huge having gained another thirty five pounds, at least.

Dean shook his head with a reassuring smile on his face. "Nah, you're fine." He said before he opened the book and placed it on Sam's large stomach to help balance it. "Guess How Much I love You by Sam McBratney…" He began.

~DW/SW~

"Sam," Dean sighed as he set the book down on the floor by the bed, internally groaning. _Jesus Christ, if I would have known that the book was going to have this effect, I would've bought you something else entirely_ he thought, feeling slightly annoyed.

Sam sniffled and wiped a hand across his face as he fought to get his emotions under control. "I… I'm sorry." He cried. "I'm… I'm just so worried."

"About what?" Dean asked, his annoyance beginning to give way to big brother concern. He also knew that if Sam didn't calm down now, neither one of them would be getting very much sleep tonight at all.

"Th… that I… that I won't be able to love them like that and…" Sam shook his head unable to finish. He felt a series of strong kicks which startled him slightly as both twins had been pretty quiet the entire time Dean had been reading. Sam was pretty sure that the twins knew Dean's voice and liked it as he always seemed to be able to calm them down. But instead of feeling reassured that his children were inside him, safe and secure for the time being, he felt scared that the feelings of attachment and security would disappear once the babies were born.

Sam remembered the talk that he had had with his dad a couple of weeks back about the instinctual and automatic bond that his dad had assured him of but Sam wasn't so sure that that would exist for him because how could he ever love the very things he'd been taught to hunt?

"Sammy, it's okay." Dean tried to soothe, feeling slightly surprised that his brother was talking about loving the babies inside of him.

"No, it's not Dean." Sam argued. "I have demons inside me… fucking DEMONS! And that will never be okay and the only way that I can change it is if I stop being so freaking scared and do what needs to be done but I can't! And you want to know why? Because some other fucking hellspawn made it so that I'm fucking terrified of going through anything like that ever again." Sam drew in a ragged breath before he continued. "I can't do it Dean… I can't. It hurt so much and I know you said you'd do it and I appreciate it but I just… it hurt Dean, more than any hunting injury ever… it felt like I was being split in two and I don't ever want you to be associated with that."

Dean felt his heart break at his brother's rant and felt equally taken back by Sam saying that the twins were demons. He had thought that they were past that. Reacting on instinct, Dean wrapped his arms around Sam as he tried to get his brother to stop shaking.

A moment later, the door opened and Pastor Jim popped his head in. Dean saw a frown appear on the pastor's face when he saw Sam's state of distress but he shook his head, thankful when Jim nodded and left, closing the door behind him. Dean knew that this was something that he had to do.

Sam felt surprised when Dean pulled him in for a hug only a moment after he'd started sobbing harshly, knowing how big of a hated chick-flick moment this was. He sniffled and clutched onto the worn ACDC shirt his brother was wearing.

"Sammy," Dean said quietly several minutes later once he'd felt Sam calm down some.

Sam sniffled. "Yeah Dean?" He responded in a cried out voice.

"I'm so sorry that you had to go through that," Dean started, trying to make his voice contain all the sincerity that he felt. "I can't imagine how scary or… just how awful that was." Dean felt his brother shiver slightly and he prepared himself for the nightmares that he was sure were going to come tonight. "And I'm sorry that you had to be pain but you gotta know kid… that if we… if we ya know…" He drifted off, having no clue how to tell his brother that he would unwillingly willing have sex with him. _I'm gonna vomit_ Dean thought to himself as he tried to keep a handle on his suddenly working gag reflex. "I wouldn't hurt you… I mean, it isn't supposed to hurt… not… not if it's done right."

Sam remained quiet, unsure of how to respond to his brother's unspoken offer.

As the moments ticked by and Sam didn't say anything, Dean's feeling of awkwardness sky-rocketed. _Well fuck kid, don't leave me hanging_ he silently told his brother. "Think about it okay?" Dean prodded, hoping Sam would say something.

Sam sniffled wondering just how it could be done without feeling like your insides were being set on fire.

"Okay…" Dean muttered before he stood, suddenly needing a beer… badly.

"Ah Dean," Sam said making Dean pause with his hand on the doorknob.

"Yeah Sam?" Dean clenched his eyes shut, worried about Sam's possible acceptance or refusal of his offer. Neither sounded all that appealing as he didn't want Sam to be so afraid of him and think that he would hurt him should they decide to go ahead with it but he wasn't all that keen to jump back under the covers with the kid either.

"Ah… thanks, I guess." Sam finally answered sounding slightly terrified, worried, and yet grateful.

"Don't mention it." Dean said trying to sound normal and reassuring. _Really dude, we are so never talking about this ever again_ he thought to himself.

~DW/SW~

Steven was making himself a cup of coffee to go when he was startled by a loud bang coming from outside in the yard. "What the hell?" He asked himself as he stopped pouring the hot water into the travel mug and walked outside trying to find the source of the noise. A moment later, he realized it was Josh… who was firing at a bull's eye about twenty feet away. He stood, watching from the back doorway for several minutes before John came and found him.

"Ah, hey, you ready to go yet?" John asked, knowing that Steven had planned to help him out on the house today.

"Actually, if you can manage without my help today… I kind of think I'd rather stay here." He answered before he began to walk over to where Josh was.

"You sure?" John asked as he followed him, uncertain of what Steven was doing talking to Josh as the man wasn't the most sociable person around.

Steven nodded and turned around for a moment. "Yeah, yeah, go… I'll catch up with you tomorrow."

John let out a small laugh before he shook his head and headed back towards the house leaving the two other men behind, standing and neither saying anything.

~DW/SW~

About twenty minutes had passed since Steven had opted out of working on the Winchester's future home and still no conversation had been initiated between the two men. Josh wiped a hand across his face, flexing the hand of his slightly weaker arm glad that he was quickly getting his strength back. Wiping a hand down his face, he glanced over at Steven and studied him for a moment. "Something you want?" He asked as he picked up a magazine and reloaded his gun, aiming it back at the red and white target.

"Was wondering if you could show me." Steven answered, trying hard not to flinch at the sound of the gun firing.

Josh paused and looked back over at the doctor with an eyebrow quirked up in confusion. "You want to learn how to shoot?" He asked shaking his head slightly. He wasn't all that keen on being this guy's teacher but in the back of his mind, he knew that the added manpower would probably end up coming in handy soon.

Steven nodded. "Gotta be useful."

Josh chuckled as he handed the gun over to Steven. "You're probably the most useful person here but if you insist."

Steven nodded again, his hands shaking minimally as he wrapped both of them around the handle of the gun and fired.

~DW/SW~

Sam, having slept a little later and basically just taking his time getting the morning started, he slowly wandered downstairs intent on finding something to eat as the twins inside him were kicking up a storm. _Hold on guys, sheesh… I'm going as fast as I can_ he told them rubbing a hand along his swollen stomach. Sam had just grabbed a carton half full of milk when suddenly he heard a loud bang and instantly knew what had caused it. _Oh… oh no, please… not now_ he prayed, knowing that there weren't very many people home right now as Dean was at work and his dad, Caleb and Josh were all at the house leaving only him, Pastor Jim, Josh, and Steven. The second loud bang made Sam drop the carton and soon a puddle of white liquid spread across the hardwood kitchen floor.

Feeling scared and nervous, Sam stood stunned for a moment before he began to move towards the window to try and see who his attacker was but before he could get very far, he heard the doorbell ring. _No, no, no, no_ Sam thought as he began to panic. Quickly, Sam dropped to the floor and looked around for a place to hide hoping that someone would come and help him before whoever was at the door got tired of waiting and barged in.

* * *

Hey, so how was that? I hope you liked the chapter and I would love to hear from any of you. Thanks again! I'll try to update soon. BTW, if any of you are reading my little wee!chesters one shot series, I think there will be another chapter added onto that soon too. Thanks a bunch guys :D


	25. Chapter 25

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter and I really hope you guys enjoy it even though it's an intense one and I think the next couple chapters are only going to get more intense.

Thanks so much for all of the reviews you guys are leaving... they seriously help to brighten up my day every time I read them. Things have been rather tough at home lately (one of my lil sisters is more than likely mentally ill... along with a bunch of other crazy stuff going on) and your reviews are incredibly appreciated... they always make me smile so THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES OVER!!! And those of you who simply read it, thank you too! I hope to hear from all of you after you read this chapter!

Oh, and Happy Halloween everybody! Have fun but be safe please? Alright, enough of me... enjoy! :)

* * *

Pastor Jim was almost at the end of his sermon when he noticed a young man who he'd never seen before. The man was on the rather short side and had long blonde hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and he wore sunglasses over his eyes. Jim watched as the man stood from one of the very back pews and left suddenly, moving at a brisk and determined pace. Jim knew that it was very likely that the man was just an ordinary citizen going outside to answer a call but considering the situation they were in, it was also likely that some demon had taken hold of one his parishioners and was here to pay a visit. What was also a bit suspicious was the fact that Jim had no idea who the man was and he knew every single one of his parishioners, no matter how rarely they came to mass.

Wanting to know what was up with this mysterious fellow, Jim quickly ended the service, grateful that his congregation didn't seem to notice that they had ended a tad bit early today. The last thing he needed if this guy really was a demon was a bunch of old, religious women following him back to the house. Jim quickly excused himself and hurried out the church's front doors looking around for the gentlemen he had seen just a few minutes ago. "Sam," Jim whispered worriedly when the man wasn't anywhere in sight and he took off in the direction of the house.

~DW/SW~

Sam's face was covered in tears as he sat, huddled, underneath the kitchen table. He was shaking so hard that he could hear his teeth chattering and grinding together but he was also trying to be as quiet as he could so that hopefully, whoever was at the door would think that no one was home and would leave. _What am I gonna do?_ Sam thought. He felt worried for both his and his children's safety as he knew that he was essentially trapped with really no way to defend himself.

_If they've heard anything, then they'll wait because trust me Sam… that ass is something worth waiting for _his rapist whispered, startling Sam.

Feeling too emotional to get into an argument with the bastard in his head, Sam remained silent and tried to not let the demon's words add extra worry to how he was currently feeling.

_Aw, don't be shy Sam. You should be proud that you have such talent_ the demon teased in a wicked sounding voice.

But then just as quickly as the pounding started, it stopped causing Sam's breath to hitch as he waited, unsure of what to make of the sudden silence. _I can't take this_ he thought to himself, trying to ignore the babies' motions inside of him for right now knowing that he needed his head as clear as it could be should he need to think on his feet. _Yeah, not like I'm all that fast in that area now either_ he thought somewhat bitterly albeit relieved when the demon didn't seem to have a response for that.

~DW/SW~

"You want a beer?" Josh asked as he and Steven headed up the back steps. Josh had been genuinely surprised that the doctor had picked up the skill as he quickly as he had. He could honestly say that he had expected the somewhat nerdy guy to jump whenever he pulled the trigger but instead, Steven had turned out to be a rather okay marksman.

Steven nodded. "Why not?" He smirked as he pulled open the screen door and walked through to the kitchen.

"What the… dude, you wanna give me some warning next time?" Josh huffed when Steven stopped suddenly, causing him to walk straight into the other man.

"Sorry," Steven muttered as he moved so Josh could see the mess that was on the kitchen floor. The hardwood floor in front of the stove was coated in spilled milk and the empty plastic container was lying in the middle of it. A moment later, the front door opened and a harried looking Pastor Jim rushed into the kitchen, his eyes darting in every direction and scanning for something only known to him.

"Is he here?" Jim asked sounding slightly out of breath and not noticing the mess on the floor.

Steven and Josh both looked at each other before glancing back over at the Pastor. "Is who here?" Josh asked, a strange and anxious feeling starting to build in his gut as he knew that Jim was usually a rather calm man and it took quite a bit to get him to be as riled up as he currently was.

"Sam, is he here?" Jim repeated, seeming very tense.

"He should be… I don't think he left with John." Josh answered, starting to get worried and wondering why the Pastor would suddenly be worried about the kids' whereabouts.

"Good Lord, someone call…" Jim was cut off when they heard a sniffle and then one of the kitchen chairs was being pushed out.

"Ah… hi," Sam said awkwardly as he worked to push himself up and then glanced around at the three men standing before him.

"Jeeze Sam, way to give an old guy a heart attack!" Jim huffed, placing a hand over his slowly calming heart even as he observed just how shaken up Sam appeared to be. _And why was he hiding?_ Jim asked himself.

"Sorry." Sam mumbled as he raised a hand to his face and tried to erase any signs that he'd been crying only a few moments ago. "I'll um… I'll… I'll just clean that up." He apologized softly as he motioned to the spilled milk on the floor and walked to get some paper towels.

Jim placed a gentle hand on Sam's arm causing the young teen to pause in his tracks. "Sam, what happened?" He asked. It was obvious that something, though no one knew what, had happened to cause the young teen to become recently frightened.

Sam shook his head, trying to fix somewhat of a believable smile onto his face. "Nothing… just got a little startled is all. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you guys."

_What he means to say is that there's another customer out there waiting for him and you pathetic pricks interrupted it_ the demon tossed out.

"Startled by what?" Josh asked even as he reached for the loaded gun in his waistband, prepared to go do a property search.

Steven wasn't quite sure what Josh and Jim were getting at or what threat they sensed and decided to stay quiet, not wanting to delay receiving any important information.

Sam remained quiet as he studied his feet, unconsciously ripping the paper towel he'd grabbed into small bits.

"Sam, was someone here?" Pastor Jim pushed gently as he thought back to the hurry that the stranger had seemed to be in.

Sam sniffled. "I… I heard gunshots and was checking to see who it was but… but then there was someone knocking on the door and I just… I got a bit freaked out. I'm sorry." He explained as he felt embarrassed for being such a chicken.

Pastor Jim bit his lip nervously as he knew that he hadn't passed anyone on his way to the house and there certainly hadn't been anyone waiting to be let in at the front door.

"I don't know who was at the door but the gunshots… Sam that was just the two of us." Josh answered as he motioned to Steven and then back to himself. "He wanted to learn how to shoot… incase, it's ever needed." _And chances are that if he knows us, it will be_ Steven thought to himself knowing that the Winchesters were a big magnet for trouble, or at least it seemed that way.

Sam nodded. "Oh…" _Great!_ Sam silently snarled to himself, feeling quite fed up with having his emotions constantly being all over the place and overreacting all the time to simple things that, in another lifetime never would have bothered him.

The other three men nodded as they stood in silence for a few minutes before Sam glanced down at the now destroyed napkin in his hand and opened the cabinet that hid the trashcan. He reached to grab a second one when Jim stopped him. "It's okay Sam. I'll take care of it." He offered knowing that it was getting rather hard for the teen to bend over and pick things up, what with his large belly in the way.

After a moment, Sam nodded and gave Pastor Jim a small, grateful smile. "Thanks, um… if it's okay I think I'm going to go lay down for a while." He needed some time, alone, to think and get his head screwed on straight again before he overreacted again, only this time with bigger consequences than just spilled milk and a sticky floor.

_We can make the floor sticky in other ways_ Sam heard, causing him to close his eyes.

_When is this going to stop?_ Sam wondered to himself before he chose to buck up for a moment and defend himself. _Yeah, with your blood_ he bit back against the vicious demon.

_Hmm, well I knew I was going to be involved somehow and aren't you the kinky one…_ he drifted off, leaving Sam to draw the obvious and disturbing conclusions.

Sam clenched his eyes shut as he waited for the three men to give him permission to leave.

_Aw, such a good little bitch Sam_ the demon sighed, obviously reliving the minutes he had already spent with the youngest Winchester.

_Please, just let me go_ Sam silently pleaded as he opened his eyes in time to see Jim and Josh's approval.

The three men nodded and watched as Sam walked up the stairs unaware of the silent battle going on inside the teen's head. As soon as they were sure that he was out of hearing range, they began discussing amongst themselves. "I think it's starting." Jim said quietly as he bent down to begin cleaning up the mess on the hardwood floor.

"Because why, someone was at the door?" Josh asked, quirking an eyebrow in suspicion. Sure, it'd be nice to know who it had been but just because they'd had a visitor didn't mean that the little scorned angel was here now. _At least I frickin' hope not_ he thought since they really didn't have much of any idea on how to fight the creature.

Jim nodded. "Not just that. Today, this morning at mass, there was a new fellow… he came late and left early." Jim didn't actually care about punctuality as far as religion went. He felt that as long as you were sincere, you could pray anytime and anywhere, it was just that this man had seemed a bit off. "And when he left, he had this look of determination on his face but also like he might be hiding something… I don't know, it might turn out to be nothing but…"

Josh shook his head, excusing Jim from having to explain anymore. "No, it's better to be safe than sorry. You two stay here, keep an eye on Sam. I'm going to go look around." Josh grabbed his .44, checked to make sure it was fully loaded and then headed out the door, not caring that he wasn't totally back to one hundred percent yet. He knew he was their best line of defense right now and they couldn't afford to wait for backup.

~DW/SW~

Caleb had just finished putting the crown molding up in the living room when John came stomping into the room, Bobby following behind him. Caleb jumped off of the ladder and asked, "What's going on guys?" He could tell that John was not about to announce a coffee and donuts run.

"Jim just called." John answered as he took the off the mask he was wearing and chucked it onto one of the work tables that they had set up. He stood there for a moment, fuming, as he went over in his head the information that Jim had passed on to him.

"And?" Bobby asked a couple a minutes later, unsure of why that would have set John off.

"He thinks we should head home. Apparently, while Steven and Josh were outside and he was at church this morning, someone came knocking on the door." John explained. "Sam didn't answer it because of… well, you know but then just as quickly as it started, the knocking stopped and Sam said he never heard a car pull up into the driveway or anything."

"Could it of been one of Jim's parishioners?" Caleb asked as he took off his work gloves figuring that it was quite likely that they were going to call it quits early today. _Well, at least there isn't much left to do_ he thought to himself feeling good about the progress that they had made in recent weeks.

"Well, that's just it. Jim was still doing the service when it happened and so if it was one of them looking for him, that wouldn't make sense." He continued causing Bobby to take off his traditional trucker's cap and wring it in his hands nervously. "Jim did say that there was a stranger at church today… some guy he'd never seen before who left before the mass was over."

"Does he know where the guy went?" Bobby asked.

John shook his head. "No, Josh did a search and didn't find anything but… look, I think that we should head home now. Jim said Sam was pretty shaken up and I want to go check on him."

Both Caleb and Bobby nodded understandingly. "Yeah, sure." They replied in unison wanting to check on the kid for themselves too.

~DW/SW~

Dean was sitting at his checkout stand, waiting as the day was kind of slow when one of his coworkers walked over to him. "Phone for ya." The guy, Todd explained.

"Oh, ah, thanks man," Dean said leaving his checkout for Todd to man as he walked down through the aisles and back to the employee lounge. He picked the phone up off of the counter and steeled himself, he doubted this was good news. "Yeah?" He asked.

"Dean, it's dad. Is there any way you can come home early today?" John asked hoping that his son would be able to. If Jim and Josh were right and this really was the start of things, then they needed all the manpower they had.

"Ah, yeah, probably, why?" Dean asked, starting to feel concerned.

"Some stuff happened…" Dean cut his dad off.

"Is he okay?" Dean questioned his tone both angry and worried. _Whose ass do I need to kick?_ Dean silently asked.

John nodded even though Dean couldn't see him. "Yeah, he's okay. Look, come home and we'll explain everything." He sighed, knowing that it would be better to tell his son about their mysterious knocker when he was at home rather than at work. The last thing he wanted was for Dean to get angry and explode at someone and lose his job. They needed as much money as they could get.

"Yeah, see you soon." Dean hung the phone up quickly and then went to go see his boss, determined to get the day off. Hell, if Tom didn't feel like letting him go home early, then he'd just quit. Sam's sanity was a hell of a lot more important to him than some hardware job.

~DW/SW~

When Dean got home almost forty minutes later, it was to find Pastor Jim, his dad, Caleb, Josh, Bobby, and Steven sitting in the living room, all drinking beers and in a heated debate. Dean could sense the tension between them and stepped forward, breaking everyone's gaze. "What's going on?" He asked his voice deep and loud.

John wiped a hand over his face before he took a long swig of his beer. "He's here… the bastard's here." He growled as he stood, turning to stare out the window.

Dean felt like the wind had been knocked out of him before he straightened back up, his jaw set in determination and his eyes ablaze with anger. "Wh… how do you know?" He stuttered nervously.

Josh scoffed. "Guy isn't as good at hiding as we thought… found a trail of feathers in the woods. Of course, it was a dead end but still…" He explained. After John had called Dean at work, both he and Josh had gone on a second search through the woods and while, they hadn't found the actual demon, they had found evidence that pointed to him being around.

"What's the plan then?" Dean asked turning to look at his dad.

"That's what we're trying to figure out. I wanted Sam down here but last time I checked on him, he was fast asleep." John replied. Considering the emotional toll that the day had had on Sam, John was inclined to let his son rest. He figured that they would bring him up to speed on everything once he woke. "I definitely don't want him staying here tomorrow," He said before looking up at Jim, Josh, and Steven. "It's nothing against you guys… I just want him to be where I can watch him."

"No, we understand besides, that will give us more of a chance to do go out and find the bastard." Josh agreed, hoping that not having the demon's target around would help anger the bastard and bring him out into the open.

"Okay, knowing where Sam is, is all good and dandy but how the hell are we gonna find this creep?" Dean asked feeling torn about getting information now and leaving to go check on his brother. _Dad said he was sleeping_ Dean reminded himself as he tried to calm down a bit, a mix of anxiety and adrenaline working against his ability to stay calm and tear everyone, except for Sam, within a three mile radius a new one.

Josh sighed and stood. "Along with the trail of feathers, I found footprints… not shoe marks but footprints, like the ones you'd find on the beach. And just like the feathers, they were easy to find at first and then, the farther I got the sparser they became but my guess is that he's hiding somewhere in those woods, close to where Sam was… attacked…" He explained causing everyone eyes to darken as they thought back to the rape and where it occurred.

_That isn't that far from the house_ Dean thought. He now really wanted to go and check on his brother just to make sure Sam was still in his bed and that he was alone.

"What makes you say that?" John asked, worry making his voice rough.

"Think about it, why would he want to go find somewhere else to hide in town when he has all of… that" Josh pointed to the vast forest behind Jim's house that provided a dense cover for anyone or anything that wanted to watch without being seen.

Dean growled as he realized what Josh was getting at. "It's easier to keep an eye on Sam from here." He grew quiet as he thought about all the times when Sam had sat out on the porch, needing time to think about everything he'd gone through in the past several months. Had this demon been watching him then? Had Sam been in danger under their very own eyes and they hadn't even realized it? _It's happened before_ Dean thought to himself as he stood and walked over to the window, peering out through the glass but unable to make anything out. _You had better have found a damn good hiding place_ Dean thought, knowing that as soon as the scum was found, he would be unrecognizable once their bunch got through with him.

"That's it!" John growled through clenched teeth as he picked up a newly sharpened bowie knife and an extra handgun that were lying on the coffee table in front of him. With a snarl on his face, John strapped the knife to his ankle and stashed the gun in the inside pocket of his jacket. This was ending tonight; he was going to end it.

"Wow, wow, John," Bobby leapt up when he saw John heading towards the door and stood in front of him. He placed a hand on John's chest, preventing the man from moving any closer to the door. "John, calm down." Bobby ordered.

John shook his head. "Let me go Bobby." He demanded trying to shove the other man off.

"No." Bobby replied stubbornly as he gripped John's leather jacket tightly in his fists.

"Bobby," John started before Bobby cut him off.

"Dammit John, no! We're not ready to face this guy yet and I'm not going to let you go out there half-cocked when you don't even know how to kill this wannabe angel!" Bobby yelled. He took a few breaths to calm himself down though he continued to glare at the other man. "Now, we're going to go back to the living room and figure out a damn plan before we go traipsing through the woods cause walking into a trap sure as hell ain't gonna help Sam any."

John's jaw remained stubbornly set for a few minutes before he backed down and moved away from the door. "So, any idea what this plan of yours consists of?" He grumbled.

Bobby cracked a small smirk. "I'm working on it."

~DW/SW~

Dean walked slowly to his and Sam's room, feeling as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders and then at the same time feeling like his nerves were on fire with adrenaline. He doubted he was going to get much sleep tonight. As he neared his room, he thought back to how Pastor Jim and Josh had explained that Sam had been hiding underneath the kitchen table and though Dean knew that Sam had plenty of reason to be scared of strangers, especially now, he couldn't help but compare Sam's reaction to what it might have been had the rape never happened.

_God Sammy_ he thought. He had let his brother down so bad when he had angered his brother enough for him to walk into the life changing event in the woods. _I can make it up to you though. I'm going to make it up to you_ Dean promised. There was no way this chubby little freak was getting his devilish paws on his brother and with that thought in his head, Dean opened the bedroom door. Quietly and quickly, he grabbed a pair of boxers from his clean clothes pile and headed for the bathroom. Once he was changed and had brushed his teeth and was ready for bed, Dean headed back into the bedroom. He sighed when he spotted Sam, lying asleep, on his bed with his body wrapped around Dean's pillow.

"Kiddo," Dean muttered before he walked over to the bed, snagging Sam's pillow on the way. Dean placed the pillow he'd grabbed by the edge of the bed, glad when Sam didn't seem to stir. Carefully, he slid in beside his brother and wrapped an arm around Sam's growing waist. He felt relieved when no one kicked against his hand, hoping that their stillness would mean sleep would come easier tonight.

Dean felt Sam stiffen at the contact and realized that his brother was awake.

"It's just me." He reassured, glad when Sam settled back down, his body less tense. A moment later, Sam moved one of his hands down to tangle it with his older brother's as he began to shake slightly. "Sammy," Dean sighed, squeezing his brother's hand gently and ignoring the fact that this was a massive chick flick moment. "No one is coming in this room besides the two of us okay?" _And if they do, they will be getting an ass kicking_ Dean silently promised and yet urging the demon hiding in the woods to hear his threat. Dean couldn't wait to lay into the bastard. He was going to make hell look Disneyland.

After a moment, Sam sniffled and nodded trying to gather some sense of security from having his big brother beside him.

"Good, now get some sleep." He ordered softly, glad when Sam obeyed him.

~DW/SW~

The next morning, everyone except for Sam woke early and discussed the plan for the day over breakfast. About half an hour later, it was finally decided that Dean and Sam would head to the new house while the rest of them went on a search through the woods. A part of Dean really wanted to go on the hunt too; after all, he had to show this demon what happened to those who thought that it would be fun to mess with his Sammy. But in the end, he knew that keeping his brother company at the house and protecting him there was just as important.

~DW/SW~

"Dean?" Dean turned around when he heard his brother say his name and smiled. He had called his boss a little under half an hour ago and had talked Tom into letting him take the rest of the week off. That left him with three days to not have to worry about work and instead concentrate on how to stop his brother's attacker.

"Morning." He replied as he continued to pack the duffle bag lying open in front of him.

Sam stared at his brother, wide-eyed. What was Dean doing packing up his stuff? Was he leaving? Was their dad leaving too? _What about me?_ Sam silently asked himself, wondering why no one had told him to pack up his belongings. He felt tears begin to fill his eyes at the thought that his family was really going to leave without him and he slowly but steadily pushed himself up from the bed. Sam paused when he got to the bedroom doorway and hung his head as another thought entered his mind. _If I hadn't woken up, would he have said goodbye to me?_ He asked himself with tears stinging his eyes.

Dean watched as his brother struggled to climb out of bed and then how the kid waddled as he walked towards the hall. "Hey Sam," Dean called as he looked down at the couple of bags by his feet that he had already packed.

"Y… yeah Dean?" Sam responded quietly and trying to not let his tears fall.

"I ah, I already packed your stuff okay?" Dean said causing Sam to turn back around with a questioning look on his face. "Dad thinks it's time we moved into the new place, you can have some breakfast if you want and then when you're done, we'll head over there." _Besides, it'll put some space between you and the hellspawn_ Dean silently added.

Sam nodded, feeling his tears start to dry up as a small bit of excitement began to build in his stomach. There had been several times over the past couple of months when his dad and the rest of them would come home from working on the place and Sam would be curious as to what it looked like and he was excited to finally get to see it. "You mean I can finally see if Dad's okay at being a handyman?" He asked, causing Dean to nod.

Dean smiled when he saw his brother perk up a little. "Hey, it wasn't just dad ya know? I put some work into it too." Dean defended though he secretly loved seeing the kid relax slightly. Plus, it was nice to banter a little with his brother again. It was good to know that the kid still had it in him to be happy and smile even with everything that had happened. Dean's thoughts though, turned to the demonic angel who was apparently just biding his time in the woods. _So not going to happen buddy_ He thought sarcastically as he cast a glance over to the bedroom window once Sam had headed downstairs.

~DW/SW~

"Alright, you ready to go?" Dean asked about forty-five minutes later as he shouldered the last of his and Sam's duffle bags. The rest were already packed away in the Impala's trunk.

Sam nodded as he placed a hand on his stomach trying to calm them down. Both babies were wide awake now and having them take turns jumping on his bladder was slightly irritating.

"Kay, just let me go tell dad and then we're off." Dean said as he ducked back into the living room. "Hey dad," Dean said causing John to look up at his oldest.

"You guys leaving now?" John asked as he stood so he could say goodbye to Sam too.

Dean nodded and began to walk with his dad back to where Sam was waiting for him when there was a loud boom that rattled the doors. "What the hell was that?" John asked.

Dean shook his head in confusion and both men took off at a run and charged into the kitchen, feeling the blood drain from both of their faces. The kitchen door was wide open and standing in the doorway was the curly, blonde haired angel-demon. The creature had an evil smirk on its face as he stared at Sam who was standing, thankfully, not that far from the living room doorway and hopefully, a means of an escape.

Dean's eyes narrowed in pure hate as his muscles tensed, ready to spring into action at any second. He glanced a look over at his dad and saw that his dad looked more furious than he had ever seen. _You so picked the wrong family to mess with_ Dean thought as he glared back at the angel.

"Well, well, look at you," The angel smiled as he took a step inside the kitchen causing Sam to back up and Dean and John to step forward as they both tried to intercept the fallen angel's path. "Pregnancy really does suit you well Sam. I think I may have to keep you pregnant forever." His eyes focused on Sam's large belly causing the teen to whimper in fear. "Now, now, don't be afraid. I mean, it's not like I'm going to hurt you or anything." He said smugly.

"Hey fluffy," Dean called, glad when the demon's gaze switched to him as he would much rather be the focal point of the creep's attention. "You really gotta be more careful where you leave your wings… or at least what's left of them."

The demon's eyes narrowed and he visibly bristled at the mention of his ruined wings.

"Oh, sorry, did I hit a nerve?" Dean asked, feigning sympathy. Both he and John breathed a small sigh of relief when they spotted Josh and Caleb quietly entering the kitchen, blocking off any escape. They knew that Bobby, Jim, and Steven were probably somewhere nearby, ready to get into the action too. John hoped that with the seven of them present they would be able to overpower the creature long enough to get Sam away from here.

After a moment, the demon chuckled. "Yeah, well, I guess it's only fair that you taunt me considering what I did and am going to do to this one." He winked at Sam suggestively.

Dean looked over at his brother and saw how much Sam was trembling as he continued to slowly back up until he was trapped against the countertop.

"Hunh, yeah, we'll see about that." Dean muttered. Reacting quickly and hoping that their dad was on the same page he was, Dean reached forward and grabbed his brother's hand causing Sam to stumble a bit. "Come on," Dean muttered as he pushed Sam in front of him and began shoving his brother towards the back door and out to the Impala.

Seeing that the angel had started to walk towards where Sam and Dean were running, John took out his .44 and began firing. He had no idea if the bullets would do anything to the creature before him but there was no way in hell that he was going to just stand by and let this thing come at his kids. He felt a small bit of relief when the bullets seemed to slow the demon down. At least it was something.

~DW/SW~

Dean glanced behind him and saw that Josh, Caleb, and Bobby were helping to block the living room exit so that he and Sam could make their escape. Dean didn't necessarily want to leave his dad and friends behind to fight this thing but he needed to get Sam to safety. Looking ahead of him, he saw that Pastor Jim and Steven were waiting by the car, guarding it.

"Thanks," Dean said quickly as he grabbed the Impala's keys out of his pocket and hurried into the driver seat as Jim helped Sam get into the passenger seat. As soon as Jim had shut Sam's door, Dean turned the key but then felt his heart fill with dread. The engine was dead.

* * *

Hey! So, how was that? I hope you liked the start of their fight against the fallen angel. I'd really love to hear from all of you but you all deserve a thank you for simply reading the chapter so THANK YOU! :D I'll try to update soon... maybe next week or so. Thanks again and have a good Halloween! :)


	26. Chapter 26

Hey guys! So, here's the next part in the fight and I hope it turned out okay.

I really want to say thank you to everyone who is reviewing this or even simply reading it! This story and writing lately have been some of the only positive things that I can focus on and to write this story and create another world has almost become theraputic for me and it means a lot to know that you all enjoy and appreciate my whackiness :P I hope you will continue to!

Thanks again and as always, I would love to hear from anyone who is willing or has the time to drop me a line. Now enjoy! :)

* * *

"No, baby, no. Come on sweetheart, don't do this to me right now please..." Dean muttered as he turned the keys in the ignition again and still with no luck. "Fuck!" He yelled hoping that their dad would be able to stall the demon until he could get the car hot-wired. He wanted to put as much distance between his brother and the freak as he could. Hurrying but also feeling as if he didn't have nearly enough time, Dean ran to the trunk and grabbed the needed gear before rushing to pop the hood. "Come on, come on, come on" He muttered as he worked, glancing over his shoulder every couple of minutes trying to keep an eye out for the freak.

"Dean," Pastor Jim urged as he rushed over to the young man realizing after a few minutes that they had to come up with another plan. "Take Sam and run, there's a compartment underneath the church. We'll meet you there." Jim shoved two handguns into Dean's hand and silently encouraged the young hunter to act quickly. He hoped that the arsenal he had there would be enough to protect the two boys until backup could arrive.

Dean stopped and stood for a moment before he nodded and took the weapons from the older man, stashing the extra one in the inside pocket of his jacket. He hurried over to the passenger side of the car, feeling shaky from both nerves and adrenaline. "Come on, we gotta hurry." He said even as he knew that his brother was in no shape to go running anywhere. _We are so screwed_ he silently thought to himself.

Sam sniffled but took his brother's hand, hoping that they would be able to find some refuge. He clutched tightly to Dean's hand and placed his other hand underneath his swollen stomach. _Oh God, please let us get away… please_ he begged knowing that there was no way he could survive another attack like the first. _Dean's here, I'm not alone this time_ he told himself but still feeling absolutely terrified as they rushed towards the church.

~DW/SW~

John cursed as he felt and heard his gun click signaling that he had run out of bullets. His eyes narrowed as he stood from the floor and moved to block the exit that his boys had escaped from only a few moments before. He knew that it was now up to him bodily stopping the vile creature before him as it appeared that they were now out of ammo.

"Empty is it?" The demon asked as he smirked. "What a shame, ah well, this was fun but I'd best be going now. People to see, ya know?" He waggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner causing John's stomach to roll.

John gritted his teeth as he looked around at the mess the kitchen was in. Caleb was lying passed out next to the stove after having been thrown into the wall repeatedly. There was a large dent in the drywall proving just how hard of a hit the young man had taken. Josh and Bobby weren't fairing much better as Josh's somewhat still weak arm had given out on him and was starting to bleed again. Bobby, John noticed, was crawling out through the backdoor and there was a cut on his head that was bleeding pretty steadily. _Most head injuries bleed worse than what they actually are _John reminded himself, hoping that he would be able to get help to his friends sooner rather than later.

John figured that Bobby was headed towards where the boys were and he hoped that he could stall this freak long enough for Bobby to get to Sam and Dean. _God, I hope Jim and Steven are already there_ he thought considering that throughout the entire fight, he hadn't seen either one of the men.

Not wanting to cause any suspicion to arise, John turned his attention back to the demon in front of him. "Oh, I know. I bet you missed all of your friends downstairs but don't worry, you'll be seeing them again real soon. That, I promise you." John replied trying to keep the demon distracted in conversation long enough for Bobby to get away.

The demon chuckled. "No, I won't." He said confidently. "Come on John, face it, you're out of your league fighting me. You don't know how to kill me… if you did, you'd have done it by now. Man, is this rich?! Not only did I rape your son…" The demon's laughing rant was cut off by a swift blow to his jaw as John attacked him. "Sorry, didn't realize that was such a touchy subject." The demon smirked cruelly after he'd cracked his jaw.

"I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you," John started with his eyes and voice hard with anger. "You walked into a house full of hunters… not exactly the best odds of getting away and hey, look around… your target is gone." He felt a little uneasy about bringing the conversation back to Sam but he had wanted to bring the bastard down a peg or two.

"He isn't anywhere that I can't find him and trust me I will find him." The demon threatened before he flung John into the wall, knocking the older man unconscious.

~DW/SW~

Jim and Steven had watched as Bobby made his way through the thick, wooded underbrush of the forest hoping that it would provide enough cover for the man. "Shouldn't we follow?" Steven asked, recognizing that Bobby was following the path Sam and Dean had made only a couple of minutes prior.

Jim shook his head knowing that it would be better to help prevent the demon from getting to the boys in the first place. "Come on," He answered as he led Steven to a small cellar where more guns and weapons were kept. Jim had the feeling that they would be needed.

~DW/SW~

Dean breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw the church doors up ahead. "We're almost there." He promised. He knew that both the fear of another attack and just the physical exhaustion of running from the house to the church had worn his brother out.

Sam nodded and tried to ignore the tears that were on his face or the panic that had settled inside him.

Dean quickly opened the heavy wooden doors before he pushed his brother inside. He paused only long enough to pull the doors shut and spill some salt in front of them. He wasn't completely sure that that would stop the freak from gaining entrance but considering what they had to lose, he had to try. "This way," Dean ordered as he led Sam down a flight of stone steps at the back of the church. They hurriedly walked down a long, cold hallway with small rooms on either side. They had come to the end of it when Dean stopped, having thought he heard someone else down there with them. He protectively shoved his brother behind him and motioned for Sam to stay quiet. Dean quickly snuck his head around the corner of the doorway to see who it was that was moving around in the room, his heartbeat going at an unsteady pace as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "It's just Bobby," He whispered just before he and Sam heard the church doors open again. "Go!" He ordered pushing Sam into the room with Bobby and shutting the door behind them.

~DW/SW~

Bobby turned around when he heard the heavy church doors squeak open but smiled softly in relief when he saw that thankfully Sam and Dean had made it to Jim's hidden office. "Boys," He greeted as he continued mixing something in a bowl on the table in front of him.

_We're fucking trapped_ Dean thought before he wiped a hand down his face. "What is that stuff?" Dean asked as he walked to join his friend.

"Holy oil, there's a theory out there that it can trap demons and spirits… maybe, it'll work on this guy too." Bobby offered.

"Great, we're going on a theory, awesome!" Dean smiled sarcastically hoping against hope that this plan of Bobby's was going to work. He turned around to see Sam standing in the corner of the room with his arms wound tightly around himself. It was easy to see just how badly the kid was shivering. "Keep working." He ordered to Bobby before he headed towards his brother. "It's gonna be okay Sam." He said, trying to be reassuring.

Sam shook his head, tears falling down his face as he found it rather hard to believe his brother right now. He knew they were trapped in this underground passage beneath the church and the fact that they didn't have a sure, known way to stop this demon didn't help to reassure him any. Yeah, things weren't looking all that great right now.

Dean put a finger under his brother's chin and lifted Sam's face so that they were eye to eye. "He isn't going to touch you, I swear Sam." Dean said with his voice hard with conviction as confident green met scared hazel.

Sam bit his lip and nodded. "Okay Dean." He said in a weak whisper as he didn't exactly believe his brother but he didn't feel like arguing over it either.

Dean glanced around the small room and spotted a blanket that was folded up in the corner that was farthest away from the door. "Come on," He nodded his head towards the blanket, smiling softly when Sam followed him. Dean picked the blanket up and shook it out before handing it to his brother. "Try to relax, okay?" He suggested once Sam had taken a seat, wrapped up in the flannel fabric.

Sam nodded even though he thought that that would be downright impossible. He moved one of his hands underneath the blanket and slipped it beneath his shirt, feeling his twins moving around inside him. They always seemed to be most active whenever he was stressed. _Please don't let anything happen to us_ he prayed as he rested his head back against the stone wall and closed his eyes, trying to stop the stem of tears that was rapidly filling up inside him.

"Dean," Bobby called drawing the young hunter's attention away from his brother and back to the situation at hand.

"Yeah," Dean replied, ready to do whatever was needed to stop this guy. Hell, he wanted to do more than stop him. Dean wanted to tear him to shreds and then make him whole again just to repeat the process.

"The legend goes that if you get a demonic creature inside one of these rings then you can trap him." Bobby explained as he poured the holy oil into a circle in the middle of the floor but far enough away from Sam that he would, hopefully, be out of harm's way.

Dean nodded hoping that his friend was right about this. They really, really couldn't afford any mistakes right now. "That's it? That's all we need?" He asked thinking that for all the trouble they had been through in the last couple of months, this solution seemed easy… almost too easy.

Bobby shook his head no. "You don't happen to have a lighter on you, do ya?"

"Uh…" Dean drifted off as he began to search through his pockets. A moment later, the small group heard thunderous footsteps coming their way. "Shit," Dean muttered as he continued to frantically feel around for a match or a lighter. He had the feeling that the approaching footsteps did not belong to anyone good.

"Knock, knock," They heard before the door came crashing open. Dean and Bobby both took a step backwards, trying to block Sam from the angel's view. Dean watched as the man entered the room and he silently coaxed him towards the liquid ring Bobby had created. "There you are, told your daddy I'd find ya." The demon smirked as he focused his gaze on the terrified teen that was sitting tucked back behind the safety of his family and the shield that they provided him.

_Fuck, I know I have it! Where the hell is that damned thing?_ Dean yelled at himself as his fingers fumbled for the small metal object. _Aha, got it_ he thought but not allowing the relief to show on his face as his hand curled protectively around the lighter knowing that it might be their only chance to get rid of this freak, once and for all. _Come on, just a little bit closer you fugly freak_ Dean thought only to quickly kneel down and light the holy oil trapping the demon watching as his eyes changed from their purple shade to a dark menacing black. "You should watch where you step more carefully." Dean reprimanded.

The demon glanced at the ring of fire surrounding him and then to the three men standing outside the trap.

"Who would've thought that you monkeys could be smart enough to put something like this together? You deserve more credit than I gave you." He shook his head and a moment of silence followed. "So what now, you send me back to that pit of eternal hellfire and then that's it? Sam's safe?"

"That's the general idea, yeah." Dean retorted as he stood closest to the demon, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Hell won't keep me there forever ya know… I'll crawl out one day and come back for him. What do you say Sam?" The demon taunted as he locked eyes with the pregnant teen. "You wanna count down the days till we meet again?"

Sam clenched his jaw shut and turned away from the demon, not wanting to even consider that that was a possibility. He had just barely handled the last seven months and was hanging on to any bit of sanity and peace he had left by his fingertips. He had no idea how he could live with this debilitating fear for the rest of his life.

Dean moved so he that intercepted the fallen angel's line of sight. "See, where we're sending you… your residence is gonna be a bit more permanent." And with that Bobby started to read the ancient ritual from his own journal.

Bobby was halfway done with the exorcism when the demon became infuriated at his imprisonment and started fighting against his invisible binds. The few objects in the room began to shake and dust from the stone ceiling started to trickle down. Dean hurried over to where Sam sat, pressed into one of the corners of the room and protectively covered his brother's body with his. He could feel Sam shaking against him and he took one of Sam's hands in his. "I swore nothing would happen to you and I meant it." He growled out feeling Sam squeeze back incredibly tightly to his hand.

Sam nodded his head against Dean's shoulder and prayed that this demon created earthquake would be over soon.

Dean glanced up and saw that Bobby had taken cover underneath the single table that was in the room. The demon's laughter echoed against the stone walls causing Dean to growl threateningly again. "What the hell are you laughing at ya freak?" He shouted above the rumbling noise that seemed to ricochet off of the walls.

"You." The demon replied. "I might be trapped but you guys are too." He smirked as they watched a large chunk of stone fall and land where the door used to be.

_Fuck!_ Dean silently yelled though he refused to show the demon – or Sam – any fear knowing that the demon would thrive off of knowing just how frightened the older brother was of the possible consequences and that it would only increase Sam's terror.

~DW/SW~

John slowly blinked his eyes open and groaned as he sat up, his muscles aching. Once his eyes were fully opened, John looked around the room taking in the amount of destruction that had occurred. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his arm and he flinched fearing that it might have been the enemy.

"It's just me." Steven reassured when he felt John flinch.

_Yeah and you were possessed once so 'just me' could be anybody_ he thought to turned to look at the doctor and began to push himself up, feeling his wrist give out. "Shit!" He said through gritted teeth before he started to force himself into a standing position again.

"John, wait a God damned moment, will ya?" Steven asked as he reached for the brace that he had grabbed out of his medical kit. Both he and Jim had entered the kitchen a little over ten minutes ago hoping that John and Caleb would still have the demon under control. They had seen Bobby sneak out of the house and were relieved that Sam and Dean were going to have back up at the church. Figuring that it would be best to stay with John, Caleb, and Josh they had decided to head back to the kitchen only to realize that they were too late to be of any assistance to their friends. When they had seen all three hunters lying passed out on the kitchen floor, their stomachs had plummeted with worry and they had hoped that Bobby had managed to reach the boys before the freak did. Steven had just started to tend to John's many cuts and bruises when the disoriented father awoke.

John grabbed the brace from Steven with his good hand and cursed as he worked to quickly fasten the straps securing it in place. "I can't wait! My boys are out there and I have to go find them." With that, he heaved himself up, biting his lip as he fought to keep from groaning in pain.

"You're injured, you can't go out there." Steven argued as he tried to reason with the oldest Winchester.

"Try and stop me." John challenged. When Steven made no move to incapacitate him, John headed out of the house and towards the church.

Jim glanced up from where he was rewrapping Josh's heavily bleeding shoulder to the good doctor. "Stay here and make sure these two don't bleed to death and shoot anything that moves." Jim ordered as he pushed a gun into Steven's hands before he chased after John.

~DW/SW~

John glanced over his shoulder when he heard footsteps and quickly spun around only to come face to face with Jim. He breathed a sigh of relief that it was his friend and not the angel getting the drop on him. "Let's go." He ordered and both men took off at a run for the church, both silently fearing what they would find upon their arrival.

~DW/SW~

John cursed when he saw the broken line of salt outside the church doors. His heart rate sped up as he realized that it was very likely that the bastard was there in the church and probably with his boys. The only bit of calming information he could think of was that Sam wasn't alone as he had both Dean and Bobby with him; two men John trusted explicitly.

Suddenly, John and Steven heard a loud cracking noise followed by a thunderous boom that made both men jump in surprise. "Fuck!" John shouted before he took off in direction of the noise. Not really knowing where they were going but figuring that his boys had to be somewhere in the church, John followed his instinct down a set of stairs. His jaw clenched when he and Steven saw that the hallway was blocked by piles of large, jagged stone. _Obviously this guy's never seen a pissed off parent_ he concluded knowing that there was nothing he wouldn't do to protect his children. "Get digging." He ordered as he rolled his sleeves up and set to work.

~DW/SW~

Dean watched as the demon glanced towards the hall when the group heard a pair of footsteps and two sets of voices coming closer. "Sounds as if the cavalry has arrived." The demon smirked.

"Unfortunately for you." Dean bit out with his own cocky smirk painted on his face. He knew that their dad wouldn't have a problem sending this bastard back where he belonged. He lowered his head so he could whisper to his brother. "Dad's here and he's gonna get us out, alright? Just hold on a little bit longer for me."

Sam nodded in response even though he felt like his heart was about to beat out of his chest.

"Ya know," The demon started from where he stood, trapped in Bobby's plan. "Even if you guys do succeed in sending me back to the pit, I've already won." He paused as his eyes trailed over the pair of brothers in the corner of the room. "I mean, he's carrying my twins. A hunter's son is going to help bring two more hated creatures into the world. It's brilliant… you'll be famous Sam. Forever known as the boy who birthed demons… just wait until the rest of you murdering douches find out." The demon laughed long and hard. "Think they'll have a competition of their own? You guys are pretty bloodthirsty creatures, aren't ya?"

"Shut up!" Dean yelled, his green eyes glaring menacingly at the hated piece of vile filth in front of him.

Sam swallowed thickly as he focused his eyes on the stone floor.

"Aw, what's the matter lover? You don't want to be a mommy to demons… well, too bad for you it is inevitable. Can you hear it, they're almost here… tick tock, tick tock." The demon reassured in a mocking voice, his eyes lingering on Sam's enlarged stomach.

Dean watched as Sam seemed to shrink as the demon continued his evil speech and felt angrier and angrier at the fact that, sadly enough, this freak might have a point. That is unless he and Sam took the final step. Seeing how much his brother was shaking and how disheartened Sam looked, Dean knew what he had to do. _Guess now's not the right time to spring it on him_ Dean thought, feeling pretty sure that hearing that from his brother along with facing his attacker all at the same time would send Sam right over the edge.

"I'm not your lover." Sam whispered with his voice full of hate and sadness.

"You certainly acted like it." The angel countered. "I mean, how you were there by yourself and how you let me in… damn Sam, you were practically begging for it."

"Yeah, because saying no means I really want it doesn't it?" Sam said through clenched teeth hoping to God that his family knew that the demon was lying. He wasn't sure what would happen if they blamed him for it too as he was already doing plenty of that by himself.

Dean felt his brother's shoulders began to shake and he gently tightened his hold on him. "Shh Sam, it's alright. We know you didn't want it, no matter what this piece of sewer scum says." He combed a gentle hand through Sam's dark locks even as he glared daggers at the creature standing a few feet away from him.

"So Dean, I hear you're thinking of becoming a member of our club? That's great, hope you enjoy it." The demon's smile was fake and evil as he turned his attention onto the older brother.

"Buddy, you and I are in two different leagues." Dean replied knowing that he would never, ever rape his brother or anybody, for that matter. All of his conquests had been consensual and wanted.

"That's what you think now but once you've had the bitch… there ain't nothing like making them squirm and beg. There ain't nothing like that." The demon palmed himself causing looks of absolute disgust to appear on both Dean and Bobby's faces while Sam whimpered.

"You're sick." Dean responded thinking that the deepest, hottest corners of hell wouldn't be a fit enough punishment for this egotistical and violent piece of hellspawn.

"Maybe," The demon said thoughtfully. "Or, could it be that I just know how to control a whore?"

Dean knew that this conversation was surely destroying any amount of progress that he had made with his brother since the rape had happened almost five months ago. "My brother isn't a whore!" He growled, his voice thundering in the small room.

"Really? Because I could have sworn that that's what you mud monkeys call people who will spread their legs for anybody? Like Sammyboy here." The demon clarified.

Dean was fuming and he felt like his blood was on fire. He was sure that if he was a cartoon character, there would have been smoke coming out of his ears by now. He was about to respond when he heard their dad's voice calling out for him. A moment later, John's face appeared in the small empty space between the rock that was lodged there and the door jam. "You boys okay in there?" He asked as he wiped the sweat from his brow, leaving a smudge of dirt behind.

"They're just peachy John. In fact, we're having a lovely conversation on Sam's… extracurricular activities. Care to join us?" The demon asked with a mock smile on his face.

John shook his head. "You're a real piece of work, aren't you? Well, hope you've said your goodbyes because after I'm done with you, you won't ever come near my children ever again!" The protective father in him threatened before he set back to work, clearing the hall of debris so he could reach the small room and free his boys.

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Hey! So, how was that? I hope it was enjoyable and I will try to update soon. I thought I had to work this weekend but plans have changed so who knows... I might get some of the next chapter done then. Thanks again for reading and I hope to hear from everyone! :)


	27. Chapter 27

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter, I hope you will enjoy it and think that it's a decent chapter. All of you deserve a huge round of applause and many, many thanks! :D

I have a huge essay due next week that I need to finish as I've been procrastinating on it for quite some time... It's Shakespeare (who no offense if any of you guys like him but I find his stuff rather hard to get into and this essay is like the most boring thing I've ever had to write so.... :P) but anyways, all of this just to say that I wouldn't expect the next update to come so quickly.

Oh, and just a quick fix since it wouldn't let me change the end of the last chapter. It's supposed to be Jim in the church with John and Bobby while Steven is supposed to be back at the house patching up Caleb and Josh.

Thanks again for sticking with me so far! Enjoy and have a Happy Thanksgiving! :)

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John tried to tune out the disturbing conversation going on between his oldest son and the angel as he and Jim worked to dislodge the large boulder. He knew the sooner he got his boys out of there and got Sam away from the demon's hateful words, the better. A glance in Jim's direction and John was pretty sure that his friend felt the same way. He wasn't completely sure how they would actually manage to destroy the bastard but he knew that Jim had a hidden arsenal inside the room and he hoped that one of those tools would work. In his opinion, if some pain was caused while they searched for the right weapon, all the better.

~DW/SW~

Dean had kept his hold tight around his brother's shivering form as he continued to glare daggers at the demon standing five feet away from him. He hoped that the fact that he hadn't let go of his brother once during the entire time they were forced to listen to his evil spiel would help to reassure Sam that he didn't agree with anything that this pathetic piece of hellspawn decided to blurt out.

"You say you didn't want it right Sam? I mean, correct me if I'm wrong here but if you didn't want it then why did you decide to go for a walk alone? You knew you were vulnerable and in no shape to fight a dimwitted burglar let alone me so I don't really know if I believe you." The demon taunted.

Sam shook his head against Dean's shoulder, fighting to not let his sobs out. He didn't want this creature to know just how badly he was hurting right now. _I didn't know… I swear I didn't know he was going to be there_ Sam thought to himself as he bit his lip hard enough to make it bleed.

"So that's your excuse is it? You didn't know I was going to be there… well, then, isn't it just your luck that I showed up. You're a lucky boy Sam." The demon said causing Sam to fist Dean's shirt tighter.

Dean scoffed even as he hid his confusion at the demon mentioning Sam's 'excuse', whatever the hell that was. "Running into you isn't exactly what I'd call lucky." He told the demonic creature, smirking when the demon glared heatedly at him. "What, it's not like you're a catch?"

"And you are? You're a mere mortal… me, I can do whatever the hell I want." The demon smirked back.

Dean chuckled a little, he was beyond his wit's end with this guy but he knew he had to keep the conversation going between the two of them to at least give Sam some sort of a break. "Oh yeah, girls are just throwing themselves at you, aren't they? Ya know, cause of the 80's hair and hippie clothes… you're a looker, that's for sure." Sarcasm was dripping from his voice, thick and heavy.

The demon bristled again. "Well, least I'm not some mud monkey with an IQ that matches that of a trained gorilla!"

"Nah, you're just an egotistical mental case that likes to sit around on clouds all day and play the harp. I gotta tell ya, I'm trying really hard here not to be jealous." Dean replied. "And besides, I'm not the one who was dumb enough to walk into a house full of hunters and then not expect some trap to be set. You really aren't the sharpest tool in the shed, are ya?" Dean's voice was cruel and taunting as he spoke. A small part of him thought that maybe angering the demon wasn't the smartest move but he honestly didn't care. If this guy was going to criticize and ridicule Sam after all the shit the kid had had to put up with, then he could expect to get some stones thrown back at him.

_Dean, stop please_ Sam silently begged as he tugged on his brother's t-shirt. He knew he'd never forgive himself if something happened to his older brother and on a more selfish level, Dean was Sam's best line of defense… without him, Sam could very well be an open target.

"Aw, what's the matter Sammy? You scared I'll hurt your big brother… how sweet." The demon chastised causing Dean to glance down and study his brother's face.

_I forgot you could do that_ Sam sniffled, hoping that he wouldn't but at the same time knowing and realizing that the freak would probably continue to make comments towards him. Normally, he'd just try to calm himself down and stop thinking about the twins or anything related to them but considering their current predicament, Sam was finding that rather hard to accomplish. He was terrified that somehow, the demon would be able to break out of the ring before their dad and Jim could free them.

Dean looked his brother in the eye and smiled confidently. "Don't worry about me, this prick's not getting outside that ring, okay?"

Sam sniffled again and nodded.

"You guys are so sugary you make me sick." The demon interrupted with a grossed out look on his face.

"Feelings mutual jackass." Dean answered, wondering how much longer this was going to take.

~DW/SW~

Bobby glanced over at where his two 'nephews' were and growled at the demon. Seeing that the atmosphere had calmed since the demon's temper tantrum had ended and he was no longer in danger of being pinned to the wall by a loose rock, Bobby climbed out from underneath the table. He was grateful when he saw that the bowl still had a bit of the mixture in it. He picked it up and walked over to the ring, being careful not to get too close to the fallen angel. Without a word, he smirked and splashed the bowl's remaining contents in the demon's face. He stood his ground and watched as the demon sizzled before him, his hands curling into fists.

"Sorry but I didn't feel like wasting and I thought maybe you could use a little reminder of just who the hell you're dealing with!" Bobby yelled with pure anger written across his face.

The demon smirked back at Bobby as he reached up with one hand to wipe the oil off his face. "You're gonna pay for that." He threatened causing Sam to whimper. Sam loved the man like an uncle and the thought of him being hurt simply because he was protecting him made him feel sick to his stomach.

"I'm terrified." Bobby mocked, adjusting the trademark baseball cap on his head. "See, you're gonna pay for what you've done and by the time we're through with you, even your daddy won't be able to recognize you. Oh wait… he's already disowned you, sorry, forgot about that little detail." Bobby explained sarcastically.

The demon snarled. "Well, I guess that's what fathers do, right John?" The demon called out.

There was a pause in the noise coming from the hallway as Jim and John worked and a moment later, John shouted back, "Never disowned either one of my boys and I don't plan on doing it anytime soon… your dad though, I can totally understand why he took the first chance he had to get rid of a shithead like you!"

"Rather be rejected for being rebellious than being an easy, good for nothing hole to fuck!" The demon shouted, a mix of anger and jealousy in his voice as he pinned Sam with a look so full of hatred it made the hair on the back of Dean's neck stand up as he tugged his brother just that bit closer to him.

"Nobody thinks that's what you are, okay?" He whispered just loud enough for Sam to hear.

Sam nodded, trying hard to not let his doubts and self-blame pop up.

~DW/SW~

A good half hour or so later, Dean and Bobby looked up when they heard a series of loud grunts come from the hall. Both men watched as the rock was slowly and carefully dislodged from the doorway and then their dad and Jim appeared. Both men looked exhausted, dirty, and a bit bloody but from what Dean could tell, they were still in one piece and really that was all that mattered.

"Nice of you boys to join us. Though would it have killed you to clean up first?" The demon joked as he looked John and Jim over.

"Sorry but I don't dress up for sewer trash." John replied cracking his knuckles as he did so.

"So then I'm guessing Sam here's never seen you in a suit?" The demon laughed as he casted a look at the pair of brothers, watching as Dean helped Sam stand.

"Come on, we're outta here." Dean said even though he wasn't sure what condition Jim's house was in or if he should even bring Sam back there. He placed a supportive hand on Sam's back, making sure his brother didn't slip or fall after having been stuck in the same position for so long.

"It was nice to see you again Sam, hope you'll send me some pictures of the kids. Love to see what kind of memories I've left you with." The angel smiled mockingly.

John shook his head as he stepped up to the ring, careful not to disturb or break it. "Think we've had enough of listening to your crap." He smirked before he brought his fist back and punched the angel, knocking him out. "The house is a mess Dean, take him home." John said and a moment later, Dean realized what his dad meant by 'home'.

"Ah sure, you gotta a key?" He asked quickly putting his hand out to catch the set of keys his dad threw at him. He was a bit skeptical about bringing Sam to the house because the last time he had checked, they didn't have running water there and he was sure that both he and Sam could do with a shower or in Sam's case, a bath.

"Take the truck too… I'll bring the Impala with me." John instructed further, wanting his boys to just get away and not for Dean to waste time tinkering with his car.

Dean nodded, shoving the keys into his pocket. "Kick his ass for me?" He asked, nodding his head towards the crumpled angel lying inside the circle.

John nodded. A kick in the ass was the least of what this demon was going to get… John wanted to tear him to shreds and he was pretty sure that with the anger and adrenaline coursing through him, he could. Sighing softly, John turned to face his youngest son. "I'll see you soon, alright Sammy?" He asked placing what he hoped was a comforting hand on Sam's shoulder.

Sam nodded. "Um, yeah… okay, bye dad." He said softly, hoping to God that he would get to see his dad later. He took a step back and leaned heavily against his brother, needing the subtle feelings of security and love that he usually got whenever Dean was around, especially after being forced to listen to the demon repeatedly say just how much of a whore he was. Sam clenched his eyes shut and tried to take a deep breath to stop the sobs that wanted to erupt from him. And this wasn't including the physical pain he was in. His back ached, he had a killer headache, and his feet were quite sore. All in all, he felt exhausted and just wanted to get away from the demon and everything that he represented.

Dean stared at the devastation that was left behind him for a moment before he retook his brother's hand. They made their way out into the hall and Dean went first over the rocks, checking to make sure each one was stable before he helped Sam make his way through the jagged piles.

John watched as his sons disappeared down the hall before he returned his attention to the situation at hand. "Bobby, we're gonna need some more of that oil." John said as he walked over to the far wall and slammed his fist against one of the bricks, smiling when it revealed a hidden cabinet. _Let's see which one of these you like least_ he thought to himself as he looked at the vast supply of guns, knives, and other weapons before him.

~DW/SW~

"Sammy," Dean sighed, thinking that the quiet inside the cab of their dad's truck was too much for him. They had been on the road for a little over fifteen minutes and his brother hadn't said a single word, just kept his hands placed over his swollen stomach as he continued to stare out the passenger side window. He swallowed thickly when Sam didn't respond and squeezed the steering wheel tighter, making his knuckles turn white.

A few minutes later, they were pulling up to the fork in the road that would lead to their new home and Dean sighed again, unsure of if he should take Sam to the house. He had wanted Sam to be happy and excited when he saw the house for the first time, not silent and traumatized again. Besides, the house wasn't exactly ready to be lived in yet and having to deal with no running water or electricity was something Dean wasn't really looking forward to. _But if I take him to a motel, he's gonna have to wait by himself in the car while I go get the room_ Dean contemplated. He shook his head, realizing that being alone right now was probably the last thing his frightened brother wanted or needed. And he didn't really want to be separated from the kid either. _Fucking hell dad, you had better torture that SOB_ Dean thought to himself before he put the car back in drive and headed towards the house.

"Come on," He said after he'd parked the car close to set of stairs out front. Dean walked around to the passenger side and opened Sam's door, holding his hand out for Sam to take. He knew that Sam was absolutely terrified right now and also that the drop from the truck was a little bit further than what he wanted Sam to manage on his own. Sam falling and injuring his stomach was the last thing they needed to happen on any day but considering what had already happened since just that morning, it would have been like the frickin' icing on the cake.

Grateful that at least their bedroom was finished, Dean led the way down the hall and flipped one of the handy work lights on to provide at least a little bit of light in the overall dark house. He stood in the doorway of their room, unsure of what to do or say as he watched Sam silently walk over to the bed that was closest to the door. Dean nodded to himself as he had figured that Sam wouldn't be able to sleep alone tonight. "You ah… you hungry at all?" Dean asked after a couple more minutes had passed even though he wasn't sure how stocked the fridge was.

Sam shook his head no.

Dean bit his lip and scratched his neck, feeling immensely awkward right now. _I should go make sure the house is locked up_ he thought to himself. Dean removed the knife he had strapped to his ankle and placed it on the nightstand beside his brother.

"Where… where are you going?" Sam asked, fear coating his voice.

"I'll be right back, alright? I just gotta go check on something, okay?" He reassured.

Sam bit his lip and Dean thought that he would either be right behind him or beg his brother to just forget about the lines of salt that he had to put down and stay with him.

"I won't be gone long, promise." Dean said before he walked over to the closet and grabbed a full bag of rock salt. Trying to cut down on the amount of time that Sam would be alone in the room, Dean took the knife and sliced the bag open. He gave his brother an encouraging smile and then headed down the hall to seal up the place.

Fifteen minutes later, Sam heard footsteps coming towards his room and he nervously eyed the sharpened blade lying on the nightstand. Sniffling, Sam reached out his hand to wrap it around the handle and prayed that Dean would return soon. In his fearful and nervous state, the fact that it was probably Dean returning escaped him right then.

"Alright, told you I wouldn't be gone long." Dean called as he entered the room, not wanting to surprise and spook his brother.

Sam breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Dean calling to him and returned the knife to the nightstand. He sniffled again and placed a hand on his stomach, glad that at least his twins had settled down for the moment.

Dean walked into the room and sighed when he saw Sam's frightened and dejected form sitting on the bed. His shoulders were once again hunched and his head was down. Soft snivels could be heard coming from him and Dean was actually a bit surprised that Sam wasn't sobbing harder. "You okay?" He asked as he walked over to the bed and took a seat beside his brother. He was careful not to touch him tough as he wasn't sure where Sam's head was at.

After a moment, Sam shook his head no.

Dean nodded understandingly. "Yeah… figured as much." He muttered more to himself than Sam.

"Dean… you um… you… you don't believe him, do you?" Sam pleaded, his shoulders starting to shake even as he avoided looking at his brother.

_What, why the hell would I?_ Dean asked himself as he stood stunned for a moment before he moved to be in front of his brother. Kneeling down in front of him, Dean tried to get Sam to look him in the face. "Sammy, look at me." Dean ordered softly and trying hard to not make it sound like it was an order.

Hesitantly, Sam raised red-rimmed and tear-filled eyes to look at his brother. He caught his bottom lip between his teeth and chewed it nervously.

Gently, Dean raised one of his hands in what he hoped was a non-threatening pace and wiped the tears off of his brother's face. "Demons lie Sam, I know that okay. That… that demon, he was just trying to hurt you and get to us." Dean started before Sam interrupted him.

"Demons also tell the truth, especially when they know it'll hurt worse." Sam said, tears dripping down his face.

"Yeah well, this one was lying." Dean retorted as he removed his hand from his brother's face and stood, running a hand through his hair tiredly.

"You don't know that. How do you know that I'm really not some slut who wanted to get fucked by a demon?" Sam said even as his voice broke on a sob.

Dean spun around and gripped his brother's shoulders tightly. "Because I know you Sam, hell, I fucking raised you! And I know what I saw alright… that… what happened was rape Sam, not consensual sex. The moment you said no and he didn't listen, it became rape." Dean argued, anger and worry coursing through him. Sam didn't seriously believe that the rape was his fault, did he? Dean heard his brother whimper a moment later and then Sam was leaning as far forward as his large, pregnant belly would allow, shudders racking his frame.

_I'm too tired to deal with this shit right now_ Dean thought to himself even as he wrapped his arms around his brother's shoulders and pulled Sam back onto the bed with him. "Sam, man, you gotta breathe here, alright?" He said as he tried to get his brother to calm down.

Sam sniffled and wiped a hand across his face. He took several deep, shuddering breaths as he leaned back against his brother's solid chest. "Do… do you think dad believed him?" Sam asked, worry filling his tone.

Dean sighed again and blew out a breath after counting to ten, trying to hold onto any patience he had left. "Sam, I don't think anyone believed that jackass alright? And if they did, then they're obviously an idiot who doesn't know you all that well, okay?" Dean gently rubbed his brother's arm, relieved that Sam was at least calm enough to be able to form words now. "You know what I do think?" He asked a few short moments later.

Sam bit his lip, thoughtfully. Did he want to know what his brother really thought? Because what if Dean told him that he did agree with the demon's words and that Sam really was nothing or nobody important? After being yelled at by his rapist and being blamed for the violent act, Sam didn't think he could handle facing his family's rejection right now. Not with being exhausted, emotionally, physically, and mentally and being in a new and somewhat strange place with only his brother for company.

"Sam?" Dean repeated quietly, wondering if maybe the kid had fallen asleep.

"Yeah Dean… you, ah… you can tell me." Sam replied and Dean thought he detected a sense of nervousness in his brother's voice.

_I'm not going to tell you anything bad_ Dean thought to himself. "I think that that demon was a lying sack of shit and that you're incredibly brave for putting up with all of this. And I think you're worked up right now and tired and that a good night's sleep would be good for you." He suggested as he leaned over the side of the bed, still keeping one arm wrapped around his brother. Dean snagged the blanket that had been tossed to the floor with his fingers and covered both himself and his brother with it.

"I can't sleep." Sam argued. He didn't want to close his eyes for a number of reasons. He didn't want to have to start to drift off to sleep only to see _his _face and he was scared about falling asleep without knowing if the rest of his family was okay. Sam just thanked whoever it was that was out there for granting him reprieve from the twins for the night as they seemed to be fast asleep inside him.

"You need to." Dean pushed. "We both do. It's been a long day, alright? So let's just get some shuteye and we'll figure out what to do in the morning." He explained even though he thought that the chances of him being awake long before the sun came up were fairly high.

Begrudgingly, Sam nodded and laid his head down on Dean's chest. Feeling his brother wrap solid and protective arms around, Sam eventually drifted off to sleep hoping to God that he would finally be safe.

~DW/SW~

Steven studied the piece lying on the kitchen table in front of him. He had finished patching Josh and Caleb up a little over an hour ago and he really wanted to go check and see how Jim, Bobby, and John were doing but he wasn't sure if he should leave his post. He knew that the three men were somewhere in the church but he didn't have an exact location and he didn't want to be missing should the three men show back up at the house and need his assistance. Another part of him really wanted to go find Sam and Dean and make sure his patient was holding up alright after being confronted with such an ordeal. Sam's body had actually been tolerating the pregnancy fairly well so far but he knew how fragile that balance was and it was important that Sam stayed on the positive side of things. He looked up when he heard a low groan come from the living room causing him to stand and walk into the living room. He noticed that Caleb, it looked like, was starting to wake from his concussion but Josh was still passed out on the makeshift bed on the floor. _Well, at least one of them has regained consciousness_ he thought before he headed over to the young man. "Wow, take it easy." He said when he saw Caleb began to fall back against the couch cushions.

"Ugh…" Caleb groaned as he put a hand to his forehead and clenched his eyes shut.

"You took a pretty nasty hit, I think you should just take it easy for now." Steven explained as he laid his hands on the young hunter's shoulders to prevent him from trying to sit up again.

"Where… where's John and the boys?" Caleb asked once he had felt like the world had maybe stopped spinning so damn fast. Or maybe it was him?

"John's still at the church and I hope to God he got them out of there." Steven said with worry evident in his voice.

Caleb nodded, instantly regretting the action as his head spun again. A few moments later, he and Steven heard three sets of heavy footsteps and each man breathed a sigh of relief when John, Jim, and Bobby entered the room looking tired but in one piece.

"Bastard's gone and dead for." John said immediately. It had taken going through nearly all of Jim's weapons before John had found a box with a heavy, brass knife secured inside. The box had been tucked back into the corner of the cabinet and was covered in cobwebs, a testament to just how long Jim had had it. Originally, the knife hadn't made the demon do anything more than howl in pain but then Bobby had called John aside and reminded John how the book back at Jim's place had mentioned the demon's scars from where his wings had been as being his verbal weak spot. It had turned out to be his ultimate downfall as well because as soon as John had stabbed the fallen angel in the shoulder blade, he had crumpled to the floor and a bright, white light had erupted from the demon, filling the room and making all three hunters shut their eyes against the severity of it. "Has Dean called?" He asked, hoping that his boys had made it to the house without any further problems.

"Ah, no, should we head over there?" Steven asked even as he cast Josh a quick look. He didn't like how sickly pale the man was.

John shook his head. "No, not yet but I don't think they can stay there." He sighed tiredly and wiped a bruised hand down his face.

"Why not?" Caleb asked in surprise.

"It's not finished yet, there's no running water or anything like that. I'll… I'll go get us a motel room and then I'll call Dean." He explained. "What's Josh looking like?" His worry filled eyes quickly gazed over his friend's still and unconscious form, wanting to know if the man needed a hospital though a part of him recognized that if that had been the case, Steven most likely would have already done so.

"I think his body's just exhausted from blood loss and the concussion doesn't help either. If he doesn't wake soon, we might need to get to him to a hospital but at this point, I think that'll be a last resort." Steven answered.

John nodded and was silent for a few minutes as he looked around the room, filled with his friends who had stood by him tonight and helped protect the two, but really the four, most important people in his world. He knew that the men, especially Jim, Caleb, and Bobby loved Sam and Dean, each in their own rugged way and he was grateful that he had been able to count on them tonight. His eyes quickly found the damaged walls of what had once been Jim's living room and he swore to himself that he would repair that. "I'm sorry about the wall Jim… I…" He shook his head, unable to really say what he wanted to without it sounding like a big pile of mush.

Jim shook his head when he saw where John was looking. "Don't worry about it." He interrupted, his tone indicating that this matter was not up for discussion. He would much rather have a hole in the kitchen wall than have anything more happen to his favorite Winchester, that was for sure.

John nodded and then hurried up the stairs and into his sons' room. He quickly located their duffle bags and filled each with a week's worth of clothing, giving himself a definite time frame to be able to get the house finished or at least livable. Throwing both bags over his shoulder, John headed out the door and over to the Impala. He opened the backseat and threw his luggage onto the seat and then hurried to pop the hood. After a little poking around, he found the problem and realized that somehow, probably by the demon's hands, the fan belt had been cut. "Shit," He groaned to himself, realizing that until they got the car towed and to a mechanic, he wasn't going to be driving it anywhere.

"Here," John looked up in time to see Bobby tossing him the keys to his truck.

John nodded his thanks and grabbed the duffle bags from the Impala's backseat before chucking them into the truck.

"If he looks off at all, call me." Steven ordered as John climbed into the truck and started her up.

"Trust me, he so much as sneezes, I'll let you know." John replied. He was a good bit worried that maybe his son in his… delicate situation, had reached full on his stress tank. He just hoped that now with the demon dead, they could relax during Sam's last two months of pregnancy. _Yeah right, when the hell has anything ever lasted enough for us to catch our breath?_ John asked himself as he put the truck in gear and headed down the dirt road.

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Hey guys! So, how was that? I promise we're really close to the part that quite a few of you are anxious about it ;) I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I can't wait to hear your thoughts and opinions on it! I always love getting them. Thanks again and I will try to update soon, though like I said, I have a rather evil essay to write so we shall see... :)


	28. Chapter 28

Hey guys! I got my essay done a lot faster than I thought I would once I actually sat down and tried to write so I thought I would give you guys the next chapter early. ;)

Thank you to everybody for all of your reviews, support, and encouragement! I truly do read and appreciate every comment you guys leave... I don't think I can say how many times I've re-read them! I hope you all will like this chapter and how the Winchester's journey progresses and think that given their whacky circumstances, it makes sense.

Thanks again to everybody, reviewers and silent readers alike! Now, enjoy (and hopefully let me know what you thought... pretty please?) :)

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Dean woke when he heard his phone vibrating against the wood of the nightstand and he lazily reached out with fumbling fingers to catch it before it fell to the newly carpeted floor. "Yeah," He said after he'd flipped it open, still somewhat asleep. A quick glance at the watch on his wrist told him that it was a little after three in the morning. _Better be freakin' important_ he grumbled to himself, not happy about being woken up so suddenly at such a late hour after having had to deal with a demonic psychopath.

"Dean, it's dad." John answered into the phone, sounding tired and haggard himself.

"Oh, ah hey dad, give me one sec," He said before he placed the phone down on the nightstand. Dean then carefully maneuvered himself out from underneath his brother, grateful when Sam didn't wake. The kid was no doubt exhausted from both the day's events and the toll of the pregnancy as he got into his last trimester before the twins' arrival. "Kay, I'm back. How did it… I mean, he's gone now, right?" _Please don't tell me he got away somehow_ Dean prayed even if he thought the chances of that happening were fairly unlikely. Though seven months ago if you had told him that his brother was going to wind up pregnant and be the center of a demonic competition, he'd have thought you were high on crack so really, at this point anything was possible.

John nodded even though his son couldn't see him. "Yeah, yeah, we ah, we got him… sent him to a nice place down south." The malice in John's voice was loud and clear. "How's Sam?" He asked, a moment later with worry heavily lacing his tone now.

Dean sighed and glanced back into the dark room, seeing his brother cuddled up underneath the heavy blanket Dean had found. He was lying on his side in his t-shirt and track pants, his arms wrapped tight around the pillow Dean had been using. "He's asleep." He answered, hoping that their dad wouldn't make him wake his brother up. Sam had been so upset that he had ended up crying himself to sleep only to wake up two hours later screaming and fighting to get away from Dean, still trapped in his nightmare. It had taken Dean a good fifteen minutes to even get through to his brother so he could reassure him that he wasn't anywhere where anyone was going to hurt him and then another half hour before Sam calmed down enough to be able to close his eyes again. And that wasn't counting the fact that Sam's bladder was now his enemy causing the kid to have to take frequent trips to the bathroom to empty day and night.

"Kay, well I need you to wake him up and bring him to the Rosebird Inn down on Seventh Street. I got us a room for a week. I think he, well both of you will be more comfortable there than at the house, at least while we finish it." John explained knowing that right now the house was pretty much bare bones as he still had to put in the majority of the appliances and such.

"Ah, dad… it kind of took him a while to fall asleep. I think it'd be best to just let him be for now and the two of us will head over tomorrow morning, alright?" Dean responded knowing that he didn't have the heart to wake his brother after the kid had already had one nightmare. Of course, their dad wasn't used to Dean contradicting his orders so who really knew how Dean's suggestion would go over.

"Dean, you guys… never mind, guess I'll see you boys tomorrow then. Keep safe." John sighed before he shook his head, realizing that his oldest was right. If Sam was sleeping contently right now then there really was no point in waking him up just so he could go sleep somewhere else.

"Will do," Dean promised his dad as his gaze returned to his sleeping sibling. Nothing and no one was ever going to threaten Sam or the twins ever again, of that he was sure. "Oh, wait dad, what room are we in?" Dean asked. He didn't want to have to leave Sam alone in the car for any period of time while he ran in and checked to see what room they were booked into.

"It's twelve, down at the end on the first floor. You'll see Bobby's truck parked in front of it." John instructed.

_Bobby's truck…_ Dean thought. "What about the Impala? You couldn't get her running?" He asked hoping that whatever was wrong with her wouldn't turn out to be a major issue to fix as they were kind of tight on money right now.

"No, the fan belt had been cut. I'll call a mechanic in the morning and have them tow her in." John said, knowing how much hearing that someone had messed with his car was going to piss Dean off.

"That bastard!" Dean mumbled angrily wishing that he had been able to spend a little bit more one on one time with the freak.

"Yeah well, I'm glad that's the only thing he got his hands on last night." John replied. As annoying as it was to have to get the car fixed, he would much rather have the demon mess with that then his son and unborn grandchildren.

Dean nodded in agreement. "Yeah, alright well guess we'll see you tomorrow." Dean said as he stifled a yawn.

"Night son." John answered, hanging up a moment later.

Dean flipped his phone shut and quietly walked back into the bedroom. He placed the phone down on the nightstand and then crawled back into the bed, careful to not disturb his brother.

~DW/SW~

Dean woke early the next morning, smiling a little when he felt Sam cuddled up to him. He was glad that the remainder of the night had been fairly easy on his brother and also that the demon's words yesterday hadn't made Sam retreat into himself or seek solitude away from his supportive family and friends. He didn't think alone time was what Sam needed right now. Yawning and wiping the sleep from his eyes, Dean glanced at his watch seeing that it was seven A.M. _Guess I'd better wake him_ he thought to himself as he leaned over to place a hand on Sam's shoulder, shaking him gently. "Time to rise and shine Sammy!" He said with fake enthusiasm in his voice. Dean had no idea how he was going to handle having to get up multiple times during the night to feed, change, and burp two newborn babies.

Sam let out a sleepy growl and curled up tighter, not ready to wake just yet.

_Only he could go through dad's training and still sleep like the dead_ Dean joked to himself. "Sam, you gotta wake up now." He said a little louder this time. He was hungry and ready for a shower so it was more than time to head to the motel now.

Sam groaned again but after a moment, he rolled over and his eyes slowly fluttered open. "Dean…?" He asked in a sleep filled voice.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, it's me." He answered as he sat up and looked for his boots.

"Why'd you wake me?" Sam asked, still lying back against the pillows. He'd been getting actual sleep for once despite his difficulty falling asleep and hadn't been all that happy to give that up. He knew that he didn't have anywhere to be because well, all his life consisted of nowadays was sitting around passing time as the two babies inside him continued to grow and develop.

"Dad called last night, he wants us to go to the motel outside of town." Dean explained as he stood and began collecting their things. He looked up and could see by the look on his brother's face that Sam was going to ask why the hell they couldn't stay at the house. "Dad wants us to go there while they finish this place up. Besides, least at the motel we can get a shower and stuff… none of that stuff works here yet."

Sam nodded, understanding his dad's reasoning as a hot bath did sound rather nice right about now. It took a bit of effort but he managed to push himself up from the bed and stood. Sam had to press a hand to his lower back as his spine took all of the extra weight again. "Ungh…" He groaned rather loudly.

"You okay?" Dean asked when he saw his brother massaging his back.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, just a bit sore ya know?" He replied. Being sore and tired was something he was becoming quite familiar with as his pregnancy progressed.

"Well when we get to the motel you can have first dibs on showers okay?" Dean relented as he nodded sympathetically. He had had plenty of experience with sore and painful muscles from a hunt but he imagined that it was probably a bit more exaggerated with having to carry around all that extra weight for so many months. And since Sam still had two months to go before he gave birth, the weight gain wasn't completely over with yet.

Sam looked at his brother, shock spreading across his face. Dean never gave up the bathroom willingly, ever! Hell, if anything, he would use his 'big brother' card and determine that because he was older and wiser, it gave him more privileges. "You… you sure?" Sam asked unable to hide the surprise he was feeling from popping up in his voice.

Dean nodded, grinning as he did so. "Yeah, I don't smell as bad as you do."

Sam smiled, glad that Dean had chosen to make this be a normal brotherly conversation and hadn't turned it into a patronizing speech about what he did and didn't deserve. "Jerk." He muttered under his breath hoping to continue the brotherly banter that he had come to miss over the past several months.

Dean scoffed. "Hey, I'm giving you my shower time bitch." He responded causing Sam to laugh a little.

"I could pester you till you gave it up though so who said it was willingly?" Sam asked with the smallest bit of a mischievous glint back in his eye.

_Damn, it's good to hear you say that_ Dean thought to himself before he smirked, happy to fall back into their brotherly teasing. "I'd ignore you… like I always do when you bug the hell out of me." Dean responded, his chest feeling a little lighter with every joke his brother made. He shook his head as he laughed a little. It was so good to see that this, that the playful and sarcastic side of his brother still existed. "Kay, let's go before you actually do start to pester me about it." He said as he grabbed his jacket and headed down the hall, only to realize that Sam wasn't behind him. "Ah Sammy?" He said, ducking back into the room.

"I wanna see the house." Sam replied as he paused in the hall.

"It's not done yet," Dean answered. "I mean, they still have to finish the bathroom and everything… kind of the reason why we're going to the motel instead of staying here."

"What about their room?" Sam asked, one hand drifting downward to rest on his stomach as he eyed the closed door in front of them.

Dean shook his head, smiling a bit. Their dad had barely touched the would-be nursery, unsure of what to do or even where to start. It was pretty obvious to him that their mom had done the decorating of his and Sam's nurseries. "I think he wants you to do it." He finally answered.

"Me?" Sam asked, surprised and a bit anxious. He didn't have a clue as to what was really needed besides the basics.

Dean nodded. "Why, you don't want to?"

Sam shook his head. "No, no, that's not it… I just… I don't know anything about nurseries." Sam answered, looking at his brother as if maybe he had the answer he was looking for.

Dean laughed and shrugged. He had been four years old when Sam was born and obviously had had very little say about what went into the room. "Don't look at me." He smiled. "You know what you should do?"

Sam looked at his brother skeptically. "What?" He asked with caution in his voice.

"Paint trucks and muscle cars on the walls, bet they'd love that." Dean answered with a smile painted on his face.

Sam groaned. "You do realize that one of them is a girl right?"

"Yeah so, what she can't be into cars?" Dean asked. "For the record, she's my niece so you know she'll have good taste." _Especially if she ends up being my daughter_ he silently added trying hard to not freak out about the fact that in a little under two months, he could very well be a parent.

Sam shook his head, rubbing his stomach when he felt a solid kick against the wall of his stomach. _Don't worry baby girl, I know you're in there _he reassured the unborn baby. "And before you suggest it, I am not naming either one of them after one of your rock legends."

"But those are great people who gave us amazing inventions." Dean argued, frowning slightly.

"Yeah Dean, the creation of Black Sabbath was mankind's greatest achievement. I don't know how they will ever top that." Sam responded, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"But those guys are creative and lyrical geniuses… way more so than Einstein, smart mouth." Dean pouted as he defended his legends.

"Okay Dean, whatever you say." Sam smiled as he knew that unless he admitted defeat, his brother would never drop this and he could really go without hearing about all of the contributions that Dean's metal bands had supposedly made.

Dean nodded, grinning as his brother gave up trying to prove his point. "Kay smartass, let's move it." He said as they finally headed out of the house.

~DW/SW~

Dean could sense his brother's growing apprehension as he pulled into the parking lot of the motel. Luckily the parking lot was fairly empty of cars and there weren't any unsuspecting civilians standing around. Taking one hand off of the wheel, Dean reached over to briefly squeeze his brother's hand in a reassuring manner.

Sam smiled nervously back at him, glad that the place was fairly empty.

"Alright dad," Dean muttered whistling lowly at the motel's appearance. Both brothers were surprised to see that the place looked fairly clean and new, it was certainly an upgrade from their usual stops. The 'vacancy' sign didn't have any missing flashing letters, there weren't any fast food wrappers littering the parking lot, and the paint looked freshly applied instead of at least a decade or two old and pealing. It gave Dean and Sam hope that the inside wasn't going to be nauseatingly atrocious with some whacked out hippie wallpaper or matted and disgusting shag carpeting.

Dean drove down to the very end of the parking lot and parked on the other side of Bobby's truck, hoping that the large vehicle would provide somewhat of something for his brother to hide behind as they walked the few feet to the room. The last thing they needed was for someone to see Sam's stomach and start asking questions or to start teasing the kid for being overweight. "Come on," He said as they walked the few steps to the door that had a number twelve nailed to it. "Dad, it's us!" He called, knocking loudly.

A moment later, John opened the door and Sam and Dean hurried in. "Hey boys," He smiled, glad to see that his sons weren't bruised or hurt from the events of last night. _At least not physically_ he told himself as his gaze landed on his youngest son.

"Dad," Sam greeted somewhat tearfully. He was beyond relieved that his dad had made it out of the fight without injury.

The three Winchester men stood around in silence for a few moments, no one really knowing what to say as all were just relieved to be able to put the competition and the fears it brought with it behind them. They knew that not all of their problems were solved because of this but it was a huge threat that had been eliminated and all three felt like maybe they could breathe now without having to look over their shoulder every couple of minutes. "How'd ah… you boys sleep alright?" John asked causing both of his boys to nod.

"Is everybody okay?" Sam asked a moment later with hesitant fear in his voice.

John saw the concern shining in Sam's hazel eyes and smiled reassuringly. His youngest had always asked about others whenever a hunt had gone bad, worried for the safety of his friends and family. "Yeah Sam, everybody's fine. They ah… they all said to say hi and not to worry about them."

Sam sniffled and nodded even though he knew that worrying about his family was something that he just couldn't help but do. Sam felt his twins shift and their movement increased the pressure on his bladder, reminding him what he and Dean had 'fought' about earlier in the morning. He looked around the room and quickly spotted the two duffle bags sitting on a chair in the corner. Sam pressed his hand to his lower spine as he waddled over and searched for a clean shirt and pants. "I'm um…" He smiled a little as he nodded his head towards the bathroom.

John saw the clothes in Sam's hand and realized where his son was headed. "Kay, I'll see you later then Sam. Try to relax today, alright?" He knew that the past several weeks, hell months, had been more than stressful. He hoped that not having this psycho on his tail anymore would allow Sam to start actually recovering from everything that he had been subjected to.

Sam nodded. He wasn't really sure what he could do physically to relax but he knew that not having the threat of the demon hunting him was already taking a small weight off of his very hunched shoulders. Truth be told, he hadn't heard any voices since he and Dean had made their getaway last night and he hoped to God that that meant that the freak was gone for good. "Bye Dad." He smiled softly before he headed into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him.

John and Dean both watched as Sam entered the motel bathroom and chuckled a little to themselves when they heard the tub filling up with water instead of the pounding of the shower head. "Are you going to work today?" John asked, hoping that even though Dean had taken a fair amount of time off already, his son would be able to stay with his brother. Even with having the demon vanquished, there was no freaking way in hell that Sam was going to be staying anywhere by himself.

Dean shook his head. "I traded my shift today for Saturday, does that work?" He asked. Dean wanted to make sure that his dad or one of their friends would be able to stay with Sam.

John nodded. "Yeah, I'll be here." He pulled his wallet out from the back pocket of his jeans and handed Dean fifty dollars in cash. "Here's some money if you two get hungry or something. There's also stuff in the fridge. The salt lines are in place and you know the drill."

Dean nodded, biting his cheek. "I've been doing this since I was seven dad so I know the drill. Don't worry so much." He reassured even as he took the money and stashed it in his own wallet.

"Yeah, I know I can count on you Dean but I just want the four of you to be safe." John replied, knowing that he had put the lives of both of his children and what remained of his small world on his eldest son's shoulders, really when the kid was four and he had told him to run.

"They will be." Dean promised as both of them turned to look at the closed wooden door.

John nodded again. "I know… alright, I'll see you two later then. Call my cell or Jim's house if you guys need anything."

"Will do." Dean responded as he followed his dad to the door and secured the lock in place after he'd left. Hearing his stomach grumble a moment later, Dean walked over to the fridge to see just what kind of food their dad had left them with. Snagging a beer, Dean decided that pizza sounded good and opened the freezer hoping that there would be at least one frozen one in there.

~DW/SW~

Upon entering the bathroom, Sam had started to shed his clothes and carefully lowered himself down so he could reach the tub faucet. Sam smiled a bit when the water began to steam a few moments later. _Thank you dad_ he thought to himself, knowing that the majority of the places they had stayed at had had very little hot water. As he looked around the room and took in the fairly clean bathroom that didn't reek of someone's Saturday night drunkenness, he realized that this place was definitely an upgrade.

Sam dipped his hand into the tub once it had filled high enough for his liking and decided that that was good. He couldn't wait to get into the tub as he was sure that it would feel good against his aching muscles. He looked behind his shoulder once more to check the lock, still feeling quite vulnerable and maybe a tad paranoid after last night. _It's just Dean out there_ he reminded himself, a comforting feeling of knowing that his big brother would surely watch his back settling over him.

"Let's see if you guys are water babies." He muttered to his stomach as he placed one hand on the wall and the other underneath his stomach as he tried to step into the tub without falling. Sam closed his eyes and sighed as he leaned back against the wall of the tub, letting the hot water soothe him as his babies continued to move every couple of minutes.

~DW/SW~

Grabbing his beer, Dean walked over to the closed bathroom door. He hoped his brother was alright, Sam had been in there a good twenty minutes already. "Hey, ah Sam?" He called through the wood.

Sam woke from his light snooze when he heard someone knocking on the door. "Ah, yeah?" He called back, hoping that the voice he would hear was his brothers'.

"I'm hungry and am gonna make a pizza, you want any?" Dean asked.

"Oh, okay, yeah thanks Dean." Sam responded, shivering a little as the water had started to cool down.

Dean nodded and turned away from the door, walking back into the small kitchen area.

_Guess it's time to get out now_ he thought to himself as he looked around the room for a towel. He spotted one hanging up above the toilet and bit his lip as he sat up a little and pulled the plug on the drain. Once all the water had drained, Sam placed both hands on the edge of the tub hoping to God that he wouldn't trip or fall. Taking a deep breath, he heaved himself up and quickly reached out to place his hand on the wall to steady himself. Satisfied that he wasn't going to fall and injure either himself or his children, Sam stepped over the tub's edge. _See, Daddy didn't hurt you guys_ Sam told his twins as he grabbed the surprisingly fluffy towel and proceeded to dry himself off. Feeling lazy today and rather, just needing to relax, Sam slipped on the warm and comfortable sweat pants he'd brought in with him, letting the elastic waistband material rest underneath his protruding stomach.

Sam brought up both of his hands to cradle the swollen skin, feeling slightly taken back at just how much his physical appearance had changed. His stomach was so large and round that it looked like maybe he had swallowed a basketball, hell maybe two. Red stretch marks wrapped around his belly creating a roadmap of sorts. Feeling movement underneath his hands again, he began to rub soothing circles onto the tightly stretched flesh. "I know you guys don't like it when daddy's sad but I can't really help it sometimes." He told his twins, hearing the beeper on the oven go off further into the motel room just as his stomach grumbled and his son gave him a rather powerful kick. After carefully bending down to pick up his dirty towel and laundry, Sam unlocked the door and walked back into the bedroom, his stomach grumbling a second time when he smelled the freshly cooked pizza.

"Hey," Dean smiled at his brother as he picked up the two plates he had made and carried them over to the large queen size bed. "You want anything to drink?"

Sam nodded as he climbed onto the bed and picked up his plate. A glass of water sounded good but he wasn't sure if he should trust the motel's drinking water, especially not in his fragile state. "Um, what did Dad get us?" He asked before he blew on his pizza to try and cool it down a bit.

Dean walked back into the kitchen and opened the fridge. "There's juice, you want that?" Dean called as he grabbed the bag of plastic cups and took one out.

Sam nodded back even though Dean couldn't see him. "Sure." A moment later, Dean walked over to the bed with the remote and Sam's juice in hand. He handed the cup to his brother and sat down on the bed, intent on relaxing the rest of the day away.

~DW/SW~

A few hours had passed and relaxing all day was exactly what the brothers had done, much to both of their satisfaction. Their dad had called once to check in and had been relieved to hear that so far, everything was good. "Alright, you gonna be okay to chill by yourself for a few minutes while I take a shower?" Dean asked as he stood and passed the remote to his brother.

Sam nodded. "Just leave the door unlocked?" He asked, biting his lip and looking a little unsure.

Dean nodded back as he gathered a change of clothes. He then grabbed his hunting knife and placed it beside his brother. "Dad sealed the place up so you should be alright but just in case…" He drifted off, not wanting to actually vocalize his fears of someone being able to break into their house again.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Sam said, sounding braver than he actually felt.

Dean smiled reassuringly and hurried into the shower. He wanted to be done and out in just a few minutes.

~DW/SW~

Sam was lying back on the bed with one hand rubbing his extended belly while he clicked through the somewhat limited supply of channels with the other. Finally settling on an episode of 'Family Feud' that looked at least a few years old, Sam leaned back and glanced towards the half-open bathroom door. He really wanted Dean to hurry up and come back out there. He got his wish just a few moments later when Dean walked back out into the room dressed in a pair of flannel pajama pants and a plain white t-shirt.

"What are we watching?" Dean asked as he plopped down onto the bed beside his brother.

"Family Feud… you can change the channel if you want." Sam said as he passed the remote back to Dean. He shifted on the bed, trying to find a comfortable position as the pressure on his spine increased with each movement the twins made.

Dean was about to change the channel when he noticed Sam squirming around a bit. "You alright?" He asked concerned hoping that there was nothing wrong with either his brother or the babies.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, just a bit sore." He explained. _Just like always _he thought to himself realizing that this was the second time that they had had this conversation today.

"Oh…" Dean bit his lip before he reached behind himself to grab almost all of the pillows that were on the bed. He fluffed them up a bit and then leaned back against them, sitting so that his legs created a v shape. "Come here." He ordered patting the space in between his legs. _This isn't going to be awkward_ he sarcastically thought to himself but he didn't really know of any other good positions to give his brother a back rub in.

"Hunh?" Sam asked as he looked at Dean skeptically. _You said you wouldn't surprise me with it_ Sam thought, hoping that Dean wasn't suddenly going to initiate them having sex right now.

"Your back hurts right?" Dean questioned causing Sam to nod.

_That along with everything else_ Sam nodded. The bath had helped but he still felt just generally uncomfortable.

"I was gonna give you a back rub… see if it could make you more comfortable." He offered, hoping that Sam wasn't going to say no out of fear. If he did then that would mean that they had just taken a proverbial million steps backwards and considering that he had two months to get the job done, that really didn't sound like an appealing timeframe to work with.

"Oh." Sam chewed on his bottom lip nervously before he nodded and crawled towards his brother, settling himself in front of Dean. _It's just Dean, he's not going to hurt me_ Sam told himself as he held his breath, trying not to flinch when he felt Dean start to knead the muscles of his lower back.

_Christ, you're tense_ Dean silently told his brother. "So ah, did the bath help?" He asked trying to make conversation so that the TV wasn't the only sound going on in the room.

Sam nodded as he dipped his head a little, feeling some of the soreness in his back start to disappear the longer Dean worked.

"Good. Dude, I think this is the nicest place we've stayed in." Dean commented after another moment had passed.

Sam nodded. "Ah yeah, I ah…" He drifted off, moaning softly at the rather comforting actions his brother was providing right now.

"That feels okay right?" Dean questioned as he moved his hands up his brother's back.

Sam nodded again. His back had been absolutely killing him for the past while but with the stress of the past couple days as well as his continuously growing belly, it had gotten worse recently. "Yeah, that feels great." He admitted shyly.

Dean smirked, proud at his handiwork. "Good." He responded, moving on to massage his brother's shoulders. "So, you come up with any names?" He asked, this time seriously curious whereas earlier in the morning he had just been kidding around.

"Honestly, not really… it's… I don't know, it's been a little hard to focus on things like that when we had to deal with…" Sam bit his lip, tears starting to sting his eyes. He had been so overwhelmed with fear and worry since he'd found out about the competition that he hadn't really thought of anything else.

"That's okay." Dean said understandingly. He knew just how chaotic their life had been recently and yeah, it didn't really allow much thought for things that weren't life or death situations.

Sam sniffled a little as he wiped a hand across his face. "Thanks for the ah… thanks."

"No problem, glad I could help." Dean answered as he let his hands fall from where they had been massaging his brother's neck, assuming that Sam was done with the massage. He was surprised when Sam didn't move from his spot sitting in between the v of his legs but instead leaned back until he was cushioned by his big brother's chest. "Ah Sam?" He asked with curiosity and confusion in his voice.

"Yeah Dean?" Sam responded sounding somewhat tearful.

"Um…" Dean started before he heard the sad and scared tone of his brother's voice and he didn't have the heart to boot Sam from his spot as awkward as it might be. But then considering what they were probably going to end up doing soon and what more was to come, this was just the tip of the iceberg. Dean moved a little so that Sam was lying more on his side and he gently wrapped an arm around him. "You're not naming either one of them any pansy ass poetry names either." He said, smiling when he felt and heard a small chuckle tumble from his brother.

"Yeah, we'll see about that." Sam muttered sleepily.

"You tired?" Dean asked even as he turned the volume down on the TV.

Sam nodded and his eyes began to close.

"Then go to sleep." Dean gently ordered, ignoring the fact that Sam was practically lying on top of him.

Sam nodded and then opened his eyes, realizing just where he was lying. As quickly as he could, he started to sit up and began to apologize profusely. "Dean, I'm sorry… I… I didn't mean to…" He drifted off wondering how freaking awkward it was going to be now.

Dean shook his head and lightly tugged his brother to lie back down. "You can stay there if you want, I don't mind." _A little white lie never hurt anybody_ he silently added.

"You sure?" Sam asked as he tried to tell if his brother was telling the truth or not.

"It's fine Sam." Dean replied, smiling a little.

Sam nodded and then laid back down against Dean's chest, feeling safe and relaxed for the first time in a long, long while. "G'night Dean." He mumbled as he began to fall asleep.

"Night Sammy." Dean whispered gently carding his fingers through his brother's hair to help him fall asleep faster.

When John walked into the motel room an hour later, it was to find both of his boys fast asleep with Sam lying on top of Dean. He was surprised not only at their positions but at the fact that Sam was still asleep; Dean was snoring like a freight train. Studying them for a moment, John put their sleeping arrangement down to Dean trying to help Sam be as comfortable as possible. As far as he was concerned, that was all there was to it. He outright refused to read any bit more into the close way his boys seemed to be snuggled up against each other. Being as quiet as a mouse, John made his way to the second bed in the room and took the large, fluffy cover off of it and covered his sons with it trying not to wake either. He then pulled out the foldout couch and made up his own bed, smiling softly as he fell asleep.

* * *

Hey! So, how was that? Did their progression seem realistic enough? I'm trying to make it be so that their not instant lovers but slowly coming to terms with what they need to do in order to survive this. I hope you all liked it and thank you for taking the time to read the chapter, whether you review or not! I'll try to get the next one up soon and for those of you who have read/ are reading my 'Safe...' series, I'm going to try to get the 3rd story posted soon. :)


	29. Chapter 29

Hey guys! I hope everyone's having a good start to 2010, Happy New Year! I hope that all of you managed to have a good Holiday season too. :)

Now for the story... this chapter is about seven pages longer than normal and it is **THE** chapter. I'm announcing that just in case, there's somebody who doesn't want to read the story anymore due to that happening (which is fine, we've all got our own tastes). To those people, thanks for reading it this far! I gotta say though, I'm really nervous about it and how it turned out... I hope I did our boys justice here but that's up to you guys to decide and I really hope that I didn't make it too graphic. If there's anyone still reading the story that wants to continue reading it but doesn't want to read the wincest scene (it is a one time thing, I guarantee that) then you can still read the chapter, just stop when you get to the 4th scene change about halfway through the chapter.

Thanks again to everybody for reading this story and I hope to hear back from you! I'm still on break... 4 weeks left so I will try to write some more of this story soon as well as get the first chapter of 'Family Matters' finally posted. Now, go enjoy the chapter! :)

* * *

John woke up early the next morning and consciously chose to ignore the fact that Sam and Dean were still snuggled up very closely together. _At least they still have their clothes on _he noted silently as a section of the heavy blanket that they had been sleeping under had slipped from around them and was now pooling on the floor. Sam's head was on Dean's shoulder and he was resting back against his brother's broad chest as he slept on, seemingly peacefully. For his part, Dean had his arms wrapped firmly around Sam, his hands splayed protectively over the swollen skin of his youngest son's abdomen.

_This needs to be done_ John sternly told himself as he fought his instincts to separate his boys and not allow anything further to develop. It wasn't the fact that Dean was acting extra protectively towards Sam and both twins that was bugging him. No, he was glad that Sam had that kind of support. John knew that without that kind of support during an ordeal like this, Sam may not have made it this far so he was very grateful for the tight bond his boys had and the fact that it had survived through the hell that they had been thrust into.

His feelings of unease were caused by the underlying reason for it and what it might mean for the future of their family. He didn't know how much the relationship between his two sons would change or what affect it would have on everyone around them, not to mention the two babies Sam was currently carrying. _Who would they recognize as their father, Sam or Dean? What would they tell the twins when they got older and realized that they lacked a mom in the traditional sense? _Sighing deeply at the unanswered questions in front of them, he bent down to grab his boots and finished getting ready for the day ahead of him. When he straightened back up, he noticed that Dean was awake and staring at him. "Oh, ah… sorry son… didn't mean to wake you." John apologized in a quiet voice, trying to not wake Sam as well.

Dean shook his head. "It's okay." He replied even as he detected the uncomfortable feelings of awkwardness coming from his dad. He knew that the way he and Sam were currently positioned on the bed was probably causing their dad to have hesitations about what was surely going to occur soon but he knew there was nothing he could do about it. _I don't like this situation anymore than you do_ Dean silently told his dad.

John nodded, he knew that the chances of Dean being able to see through him were quite good but it wasn't something that he wanted to focus on so he let it drop. "Alright well I'll um… I'll see you boys later. Don't ah…" He shook his head, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "Call me if either of you need anything."

"Will do." Dean replied watching as their dad headed out the door and locking it behind himself. Carefully, he turned his head to watch his brother sleep and gently reached up to card one of his hands through Sam's hair. He was surprised that they had managed to stay in the same position all night though Dean could feel the pins and needles in his legs telling him that he was sure to be regretting it once he finally moved. He was just thankful that his bladder wasn't screaming at him though he wondered how much longer Sam would sleep for. He hoped that the kid would wake soon so he could start shaking some life back into his numb limbs.

~DW/SW~

A week had passed since John and Dean's somewhat awkward morning conversation and neither had brought it up again. They both knew that it was inevitable and while it was something that they didn't really like, they were going to have to get used to it. Luckily, none of their friends had made any comments or asked any of the Winchesters questions about their predicament and that helped to keep Sam calm and relaxed. Dean just hoped that it would stay that way even after the deed was done.

Sam was slowly getting more and more used to Dean touching him too even though they hadn't done anything remotely sexual. Every night though, Dean would rub the soothing stomach cream into his brother's tightly stretched skin and then give him a massage to try to work out the kinks and aches that had seemed to have taken up residence in his brother's body. The fact that Sam no longer flinched when Dean put his hand on Sam's lower back helped to reassure the older brother that the massages and gentle touches were working.

There was another reason why he did them though; a more selfish reason. Dean silently hoped that if he got used to being this close to Sam, it might not be so hard when the important moment came. On the other hand, Dean was pretty damn sure that this was going to be a onetime thing, just enough to get job the done but no repeat performances, thank you very much. Dean was drawn out of his thoughts when the bathroom door opened and Sam waddled out, wearing his usual attire of comfy and stretchy sweat pants and an oversized hoodie.

"You ready to go now?" Dean asked as he looked around the motel room one last time, making sure that they had packed everything up. The house was finally finished and today was 'moving' day. It was also the first time that Sam would get to really see the house and everything they had done to it. Plus, Dean knew there was a surprise waiting for his brother and it was something that he hoped would bring a smile to the kid's face.

Sam nodded as he reached behind himself to knead his lower back a little.

Dean smiled to himself, glad that Sam hadn't yet picked up on the fact that there was something different. "Let's go." He ordered as he followed Sam out to the newly repaired Impala. _Damn, it's good to have you back girl_ Dean thought to himself as he affectionately ran his hand over the hood.

~DW/SW~

Dean pulled into the longish driveway of their new house, smiling when he saw their dad waiting for them on the front porch. "Hey dad!" He called as he glanced at his brother, seeing the beginning of a smile on Sam's face.

While the front yard wouldn't win any garden magazine competitions, their dad, Caleb, Bobby, Josh, and Steven had transformed it into something else entirely. They had laid new grass down outside and now there was a small lawn out front that led to the steps that were freshly painted and fixed. The banister had been rebuilt and looked stable now. There was also a sitting area that overlooked the front yard and Dean thought that provided they were there long enough, it would be a good spot to watch over the twins from. "This is ours?" Dean heard Sam ask. When he looked over, Sam's eyes were large and filled with tears.

_Christ, if you're teary-eyed now you're gonna be sobbing when you see the inside_ Dean thought as he cursed Sam's hormones.

"Long as we keep up on the payments, yeah it's ours." Dean replied.

"Wow," Sam whispered with wonder in his voice as he slowly pushed the car door open, smiling as he took Dean's hand for safety. "Thanks." He muttered before he made his way up the stairs.

"Hey son," John grinned as he stood a few feet away from Sam, watching his son's every movement and expression. "So you like it so far?"

Sam nodded. "This is… it's nice, really nice but can I see the rest?" He asked even as he tried to hide his excitement. He still wasn't completely sure on how long they would live there and he didn't want to make it seem as if he wanted to stay if his family had different plans.

John nodded and unlocked the front door leading the way into the small living room. Sam's mouth dropped open when he stepped in and saw the room. The floor was polished hardwood and the walls were freshly painted in an off-white color. The room was furnished with a couch, two rather large and comfy looking chairs, and a cabinet that held a medium sized and older TV and a rug in the middle of it all. All of the furniture looked used and Sam was sure that it was but the fact that his family had gone out and made sure that their house had these things made his hormones rocket up a notch. "Guys…" He mumbled in a shaky voice as he walked over to the couch and ran his hand over the back of the soft brown colored fabric.

Dean and John shared a look as they both silently told each other to be patient with Sam's breakdown due to the kid's rampant hormones. "Sam, it's not like we really did anything out of the ordinary." Dean responded as he walked over to the couch and sat down beside his brother after several minutes had passed and Sam hadn't said anything further.

Sam shook his head before he stared at Dean with an incredulous look on his face. "Are you kidding me?" He asked. "You… you and dad went out and got jobs, dad bought a house and fixed it up… you're… you're… I never thought that either one of you would settle down till whatever killed mom was dead and the fat lady had sung but you guys proved me wrong and now we have an actual home and saying thank you doesn't seem enough." _What did I do to deserve this?_ Sam wondered to himself.

Dean licked his lips as he wondered how to respond without furthering the chick flick moment and causing them all to lose their manhood. "You don't have to say thank you… we did this cause we wanted to." He finally said some moments later. "You wanna see the rest of it?"

Sam nodded but then he blushed a bit. "Just… just give me a couple of minutes?"

"What for?" Dean asked, wondering how many minutes it was going to take his brother to get his emotions back under control.

"Bathroom." Sam explained quickly as he glanced down the hall trying to figure out which of the closed doors led to his now favorite and most visited room.

"Second door on your right." John confirmed when he saw his son pause and hesitate.

"Thanks." Sam replied, waddling as fast as he could to the small, tiled room. As soon as the door had shut behind Sam, John hurried back outside the house and signaled for their friends to come join them.

"How did you know that he was gonna have to take a crap?" Dean asked, surprised that the surprise their dad had organized was so far playing out this well. He watched as the five men entered the house and hurried down the hall to take up their hiding places.

"He's pregnant Dean… taking a piss is like sleeping now." John responded, remembering how irritated Mary would get when she had to visit the bathroom frequently just because their son was bouncing on her bladder.

Dean nodded to himself and a moment later, the door opened and Sam came back out into the room. "I totally wanna see the whole house and everything but um could I… could I see their room first?" He asked even as he remembered that Dean had told him that their dad wanted him to decorate it.

"Yeah sure, just remember it's kind of bare right now but we can get it done quickly, alright?" John said before he opened the door that led to the nursery, fighting hard to keep the smile off of his face.

Sam nodded, wondering if he really would be able to pull together a proper nursery. He was drawn out of his worries when he finally looked around the room, tears springing to his eyes. "I… I thought you said…" He drifted off as he took in the furnished room that was filled to almost bursting point with wrapped gifts. Sam felt immensely touched as he looked around the room seeing the two cribs that were each lined against a different wall. The cribs were painted a crisp white which popped against the mint green walls. The two dressers and the changing table were also painted white and above one dresser was a small closet. Above the other was a shelf which contained two framed photos; Sam's latest ultrasound pictures. All in all, Sam thought the room looked beautiful. "Dad," Sam cried turning around and clasping a hand over his mouth as his emotions began to spill over.

Unsure if Sam was crying because he liked it or if he had wanted the room to be set up differently, John stepped forward offering his son a small smile. "I hope you like it but if you don't, we can change it… I mean, none of this has to be permanent." He said knowing that if Sam didn't like it, then all they would really need were some paintbrushes and whatever color his son chose.

"No!" Sam shouted before he blushed again and laughed a little as he wiped his tears away. "I love it… it's perfect."

Dean and John both nodded proudly. It had been an interesting experience for the two of them when they had met up at the department store the week before and had searched for nursery items. Though that hadn't been anything compared to the shopping for clothes or deciding what color to paint the walls. Dean had never seen so much pink in his life and he figured that it was enough to last him for the rest of his life. He was just happy that he and their dad had been on the same page about not painting the nursery pink; after all, a boy was sleeping in there too.

"When… when did you guys do this?" Sam asked as he looked between his dad and brother.

"Thursday." Dean replied. He'd told Sam that he had to work late and Caleb had come to stay with Sam at the hotel when really Dean had left work early to go help his dad out.

"And all of these presents are for them?" Sam asked, his eyes filling with tears once again, touched by his family's actions. While they had pretty much been by his side since that fateful afternoon at Laura's house, he had never expected anything like this.

"No, they're for the Easter bunny." Dean smirked sarcastically before he shook his head laughing a little. "Course they are."

Sam nodded. He didn't know what was going to come next but a part of him really wanted to see what was inside the many gift bags and wrapped boxes.

Dean and John both laughed at the barely contained excitement on Sam's face. It was the first time since this whole ordeal had started that they had seen his dimples appear that deeply and both of them, though they would never admit to it, felt a bit giddy at their return. "What do you say? Should we make him wait a bit longer?" Dean asked as he looked at his dad, mischief in his green eyes.

Sam groaned when he felt his daughter kick him only a few seconds after Dean had purposed his suggestion. "I don't think your niece likes that idea very much." He grumbled as he rubbed his sore stomach.

Dean frowned at Sam, silently asking his brother just how in the world he knew that.

"She's kicking up a storm… I think she wants her presents." Sam explained as he headed for the rocking chair that was set back in the corner of the room, positioned so that he could look outside while he sat in it. Just like everything else in the room, the rocking chair was painted white while the cushions were mint green and matched the walls.

"Great, she's not even here yet and already she's demanding things!" Dean sarcastically joked even though his voice contained an underlying loving tone.

"Well, let's not keep the little lady waiting." A fourth voice added as Caleb and the rest of their friends finally entered the room.

Sam's eyes widened when he realized that everybody was at the house for what was pretty much his homecoming. "When did you guys get here?" He asked curiously as he rubbed a hand over his large stomach, trying to soothe the active babies inside him.

Caleb shrugged. "A while ago… just been waiting for the best time to jump in because ya know those kids are gonna love their uncle Caleb the most."

Dean snorted. "Dude, they're Winchesters, family comes first… weird, bald-headed hunters are pretty down low on the list." He teased.

"Hmm… we'll see about that." Caleb retorted.

"You two can argue all you want but you're not gonna get any proof that they love their adopted grandpa the most till two months are up." Bobby interjected as he stepped in between the two. "Now, quit squabbling and start passing out presents."

Sam smiled at the older man and nodded. "Thanks," He mumbled, blushing bright red as he accepted the rather large stack of presents that Dean handed him.

~DW/SW~

"I'm gonna go see how he's doing." Dean said as he stood from his seat in the living room and headed for the kitchen to dump his empty plate in the sink.

John nodded and watched as his oldest headed down the hall before returning his attention back to the game on TV.

"Hey," Dean said as he entered the nursery, knocking lightly on the door frame to announce his presence. He'd checked their bedroom first to see if Sam was still sleeping from the nap he'd taken after he'd finished opening all of his baby shower gifts. When he'd found the room empty, he'd been a little surprised until he'd heard the opening and closing of a drawer and realized that Sam was awake and in the nursery.

Sam turned around, a smile on his face as he continued to gently fold the little pair of cargo jeans in his hands. "Hey," He replied before he carefully placed them in the second drawer of what would be his son's dresser. _I need to start thinking of names_ he reminded himself.

"Want some help?" Dean asked as he walked over to where his brother was standing.

"Um, yeah… sure." Sam smiled gratefully before he placed a hand on his stomach, pausing to turn around and explain where he wanted to put things. "I think this will be his dresser," He said placing his hand on top of the wooden piece of furniture closest to him. "And that one over there will be hers and I was thinking that all of their shirts and pants and kind of foldable clothes could go in the dressers and we'll use the closet for the dresses, jackets and blankets." Sam had been a good bit surprised when he had unwrapped the surprisingly several dresses that his family had picked out for the little girl he was carrying. He had thought that it would all be leather and jeans and tom-boy outfits, not cute and frilly little dresses with flowers and hearts.

Dean smiled and nodded, glad to see his brother animated about something. He reached into one of the cribs and plucked up a handful of soft and tiny baby clothes, carefully folding the ones that were to go in the dresser and finding hangers for the dresses and jackets. He stacked the blankets that they had purchased and put them inside the closet as well, leaving space in the bottom of it for diapers and that sort of thing.

"Let me guess, this is from you?" Sam asked as he held up the little, long-sleeved black bodysuit that had a crown and the words 'party girl' printed on it. He thought it kind of matched another gift he'd received and didn't doubt that it was from Dean. The second bodysuit was also black but instead of a crown printed on it, it was a detailed picture of an American muscle car and Sam was sure that it was meant for his son.

Dean chuckled and nodded. "She's gotta get some cool clothes to wear, right?"

Sam nodded and smiled fondly as he held the soft material in his hands before placing it in the proper drawer.

~DW/SW~

They had now been in the new house for a few days and had settled back into the routine they had established while living at Jim's house. "Alright, see ya later dad." Dean called as he turned around from doing the dishes they'd used during dinner that night.

"Bye Dean, tell your brother goodnight for me." Sam was currently taking a bath and John had no doubt that Sam would be fast asleep by the time he returned home. As Sam's due date drew nearer, his son was getting more and more tired and needed to rest much of the day.

Dean nodded and walked to lock the door behind his dad. A little while later, Dean had finished the dishes and straightened up the kitchen and was now walking towards his and Sam's shared bedroom to see if Sam wanted his usual massage or if the kid was already asleep. "Hey," He said knocking softly on the door jam.

"Hey," Sam replied as he climbed onto the bed, his large belly hanging low enough to scrape against the top of the covers.

Dean followed Sam onto the bed and grabbed the tub of cream before seating himself in front of his brother. "How are they tonight?" He asked with a fond grin on his face.

Sam shook his head. "Steven says they're not as active as they used to be because there's less space but I'm not sure if that's true." Sam answered as he still felt like his insides were being used as boxing equipment.

"Hmm…" He muttered as he pushed his brother's shirt up revealing the almost painful looking skin. He dipped one hand into the half-filled jar and smeared a decent amount of the coconut smelling lotion onto his hand and then proceeded to rub it into Sam's skin. "It's bedtime guys." He said to his unborn niece and nephew. Just as he was about to finish, Sam reached out and wrapped a hand around his wrist. "Sammy, you okay?" Dean asked, concerned as he looked up at his brother searching his face for any signs of trouble.

Sam bit his lip nervously and nodded a moment later.

"Sam, what is it?" Dean repeated as Sam hadn't let go of his wrist yet.

Sam swallowed thickly before he spoke, surprising Dean. "How much longer are we going to wait?" He asked even as he knew that if he was truly serious about protecting his children from ending up with that bastard's DNA, then they didn't have long at all.

Dean stared at his brother for a moment, shocked that Sam had been the one to ask that question. Over the past couple of nights, he had been wondering just how in the hell he could make them take that last step as it just didn't seem right to suggest sex to his still traumatized brother during something that was supposed to relax him.

"I'm… I'm not saying that… that I want to do this now… or ever…" Sam said with fear evident in both his features and voice but there was also a sense of purpose mingled in there too. "But we have to and I don't want dad here when we do it."

Dean nodded understandingly as he really didn't want their dad present for this either. "You sure?" He asked, his own voice beginning to shake.

Sam shook his head no, he knew he wasn't sure but what choice did he have? "You won't hurt me though and... and I just want it over with." He explained.

"Course I won't hurt you." Dean stated adamantly, even though he wanted to stop the demon's grand plan there was no way he was going to carry through with it if it looked like Sam was in pain or suffering. His brother's well-being came first, everything else was secondary.

Sam nodded. "I know." And Dean felt a bit of relief knowing that Sam was confident that he was safe with him.

Dean bit his lip and sat back, carding a hand through his hair. "Sam, I want you to be really, really sure about this. I mean, if we're gonna… if we're gonna do it then I want to know that you've thought about this."

Sam nodded again, tears filling his eyes. "Help me Dean… please?" He practically begged. He didn't know who else to go to or what else to do. He had thought about asking Caleb to take Dean's place but he hadn't been able to work up the courage and he wasn't sure that he would even be able to go through with it. At least he knew that Dean would listen to him… or at least he hoped he would.

"Okay, okay…" Dean drifted off, unable to believe that it was really happening. He couldn't believe that he and Sam were about to cross a line that never should have even been acknowledged in the first place. "I'll um… I'll be right back." He muttered as he got off the bed and walked over to his side of the room, searching through his drawer for a tube of lube.

Sam bit his lip nervously and watched Dean walk back to the bed, trying to stop the shaking that was beginning to course through him. _He won't hurt me… he's had plenty of chances and he hasn't so why would he now?_ Sam asked himself, trying to reassure himself that he was safe and that he wouldn't end up being victimized again.

Dean licked his lips as he settled back on the bed, sitting at Sam's feet. "Sammy, look at me." He ordered softly and after a moment, Sam raised tear filled eyes. "If you want to stop at any point for any reason or if something doesn't feel right or if it hurts at all, tell me and we will okay? I won't be mad, I promise."

"Should it hurt?" Sam asked as he dropped his eyes to stare at the bedspread.

Dean shook his head. "No, it shouldn't and I'm going to do my best to make sure that it doesn't hurt but if it does, I need you to tell me okay?" He asked knowing that the only way he would be able to actually go through with this was if he knew his brother felt okay enough to speak up. Even still, Dean knew that he'd be watching Sam's every movement for any indication that they needed to stop.

"O… okay, I'll tell you." Sam quietly replied. _Please don't let it hurt_ he prayed.

Dean nodded and took a deep breath as he reached for the waistband of his brother's pajama pants, hoping to God that this wouldn't blow up in their faces. He felt Sam shaking underneath his hand and began to rub gentle circles into his brother's hip with his thumb, trying to soothe him. "I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise little brother."

Even as Sam nodded for Dean to continue, he turned his head away and gripped the covers underneath him tightly.

Dean continued to pull the cotton pants down and then paused to drop them onto the floor beside the bed. _Here it goes_ he thought as he dropped his own pants. "You can keep your shirt on, okay?" He said, hoping that not being completely naked would help to make Sam feel a tiny bit more secure.

Sam nodded and sniffled. "Okay." He whispered quietly.

"Sammy, I ah… I need you to spread your legs for me… wide as you can okay?" He requested thinking _this is so wrong _and _I'm going to hell_ over and over again, watching as Sam did as he was told.

Sam bit his lip as he fought his instincts to clench his legs together as tight as he could and turn away from Dean. Instead, he laid there letting his legs fall open trying hard to not whimper too loudly.

Seeing how nervous and scared his brother was, Dean gently stroked the top of Sam's thighs trying to calm the shaking that was coursing through him. "Shh Sammy, it's gonna be alright." He comforted as he popped the lid on the lube and spread a generous amount on one finger. _Should I tell him what I'm doing?_ Dean asked himself, wondering what would be better… to just do it or let Sam know each little thing he did. _That bastard just did it and I don't want to be like him_ Dean thought. "I'm… I'm gonna touch you okay but it's just me Sam, I promise. And I won't go any faster than you say alright?"

_This is too fast_ Sam silently thought to himself but nodded none the less, risking a look at Dean.

When Sam quickly looked at him, Dean flashed his brother what he hoped was a comforting smile. "It's just me." He reassured even as his own voice shook with nervousness.

Sam was about to turn back away from Dean when he heard the shaky tone of his brother's voice. _He's nervous too_ he thought to himself, finding a small bit of comfort in knowing that he wasn't the only one who felt anxious about this. Sam licked his dry lips and nodded. "Just you." He repeated, his fingers tightening against the heavy fabric when he felt Dean's finger brush against him.

"Just me." Dean confirmed as he gently rubbed the tip of his finger over his brother's entrance feeling Sam's legs squeeze around him. "Sammy, relax for me okay? I know you're nervous and scared but I promise I won't hurt you, I swear Sam, I swear."

Sam nodded and breathed deeply as he tried to relax and let his legs fall back open. Despite his best efforts to stay quiet, he whimpered when Dean carefully pushed the well coated finger inside him. "Dean," He cried, tears starting to leak from his eyes as he reached up and clung to the shirt his brother was wearing as he tried to keep himself grounded in the here and now and not sink into his painful memories.

Dean glanced down at the hand that was wrapped tightly around his bicep as he continued to slowly work his finger deeper into his brother. "Shh, I'm here… I've got you." He whispered, his heart breaking at the tears on Sam's face and the knowledge that he was the one causing them. Dean stopped and waited a moment, hoping that Sam would get used to the feel of having something inside him before he continued his careful prepping.

Sam shook his head back and forth on the pillow as he felt Dean's finger probe him.

Leaning carefully down so as to not crush his brother's stomach and the precious cargo inside, Dean used his free hand to cup his brother's face and gently stroked the tears away. "Shh, you're safe Sammy, you're safe… you're here with me in our house and our room and I'm gonna take care of you, promise." He whispered before he removed his finger. Cautiously, he slipped his hands underneath his brother and flipped them so that Sam was now on top. He hoped that being in a different position than the one he'd been raped in might help to keep Sam with him. "You doing okay?" He asked even though he could see the evidence of his brother's pain clear as day.

Sam sniffled and nodded, his one hand still wrapped tightly around Dean's arm. _No, I'm not_ he answered, keeping the truth to himself.

_You're not okay but will it be harder to do this if we stop and try again later?_ He asked himself. "I'm gonna add another one, okay?" Dean asked, trying to look Sam in the eye. He wanted to be sure that Sam was still with him.

Sam's eyes widened at hearing that there would now be another… thing… added to the mix. He didn't know if this was what would push the slight and initial burn into unbearable pain. His leg muscles clenched unconsciously as fear pumped through him.

Dean saw his brother's reaction and moved to reassure him. "Did it hurt when it was just one?" He asked wanting to be sure that Sam was prepped enough to move on.

Sam was quiet for a moment as he compared the body splitting pain from his rape to the slight, initial burn of Dean's finger entering him. "It… it was okay." He answered, wondering if Dean would believe him.

Dean nodded. "Okay but let me know if that changes." He reminded as he re-entered Sam and continued to prepare him, hoping to God that he was doing enough. As Dean worked his fingers inside his brother, trying to stretch him enough Sam moaned and moved the hand that had been clutching the blanket to rest on his protruding stomach. "What is it?" Dean asked wanting to be sure that nothing he was doing was causing any harm to either Sam or the babies. He also wanted to know if the moan meant that Sam was able to get some form of pleasure from this and Dean continued to search for the small bundle that he was sure would help him accomplish that.

"I… I think we woke them up." Sam answered when he felt a bit of pressure push back against his hand that was resting on the top part of his stomach.

Dean laughed a little as his free hand traveled up his brother's swollen stomach to feel his niece and nephews movements. "You think we'll have trouble getting them to sleep when they're older?" He asked.

Sam shrugged. "I have no idea."

Dean nodded. "Who do you think they'll look like?" He asked as he silently judged whether or not his brother was stretched enough while also trying to keep Sam distracted.

"I ah… Dean?" Sam asked in a quivering voice when he felt his older brother brush his fingers against something inside him.

Dean smirked when he noticed that the tension was a little less in his brother's body. "Yeah Sam?" He responded knowing he'd found the spot he'd been looking for.

"Ah nothing, nothing…" Sam muttered embarrassed after the surprising jolt had passed through him leaving him feeling a bit shaky. _Maybe Dean was right; maybe it doesn't have to hurt_ Sam thought to himself. There was a slight burn as his body gradually stretched around Dean's fingers but it wasn't anything like the searing pain that had traveled through his entire body or the feeling that he was being torn in half. _Maybe I can handle this_ he thought as he slowly looked up to study his brother's face.

Dean's forehead was creased and he was biting his lip as he concentrated. "How ah… does that still feel alright?" Dean asked only to look up a moment later and into Sam's eyes. His lips twitched upwards into a small smile, trying to breathe some confidence and reassurance into the fragile moment.

Sam nodded, unable to believe the amount of care that Dean was taking to make sure that he stayed alright during this.

"Good, now ah… give me a minute okay?" He asked nervously as he turned his attentions on himself.

"Okay." Sam agreed staying still on his spot on top of his brother, watching as Dean worked to get himself hard.

Needing some inspiration and knowing that looking at his brother wasn't gonna cut it, Dean closed his eyes and imagined the Pamela Anderson spread that was in the playboy magazine at the bottom of his duffle bag. "Ugh…" He grunted, keeping his hand wrapped around himself so that he wouldn't 'lose' his hard-on. _Jesus Christ, what the fuck am I doing?_ Dean wondered as he placed a steadying hand on Sam's waist hoping that he would still be able to picture Pamela Anderson in a few minutes.

"Dean?" Sam asked, unsure what was going to happen next.

"I need you to lift up a little okay?" Dean instructed, feeling glad and relieved when Sam obeyed him hoping that meant that some bit of trust was remaining enough to help them get through this.

Sam nodded and bit his lip as he put all his weight on his arms, lifting up a little so that Dean could slip further under him, positioning himself just right.

"Kay, I'm gonna help you alright? And we're gonna go real slow and just take our time okay?" He didn't want to rush this and risk injuring his brother in any way even though he knew that he had stretched Sam pretty well.

Sam nodded, the nervousness coming back to him as he and Dean worked together to slowly lower him back down. He instinctually flinched and shut his eyes when he felt the tip of Dean's member touch his opening.

"Hey, hey, talk to me," Dean said as he started to gently stroke his brother's sides hoping to keep Sam grounded with both his touch and the sound of his voice. "Sammy, come on open your eyes man." He coaxed when Sam lifted his head and took big gulping breaths almost as if he couldn't get enough air.

A moment later, Sam's eyes opened and tears started to race down his cheeks.

Dean swallowed, his throat tightening up at the look of heart break and desperation on his brother's face. "Do you want to stop?" He asked, trying to make sure that Sam had complete say in this. He wasn't gonna do anything Sam didn't want.

Sam sniffled but shook his head no knowing that they had already gone too far to stop now.

Dean nodded and after a moment, he continued to slowly inch his way further into his brother. "I bet they're gonna be real smart, just like you." He started talking again, hoping to keep Sam's and unconsciously, his, mind off of what was happening and instead on what the end result would be.

"Or smart-asses like you." Sam added a moment later and Dean could see how hard his brother was fighting to stay with him.

_I'm so proud of you_ Dean thought. Sam had shown so much strength and determination throughout the past seven and a half months and he honestly didn't know anyone braver than him. Dean laughed a little but stilled as he got fully sheathed inside his brother, wanting to give Sam ample time to adjust to the intrusion.

Sam's breathing increased and he gripped Dean's shirt tightly in his hands, bunching the fabric as he hung his head. _Oh god_ he thought, his entire body clenching as his muscles remembered what had happened last time there had been something this large inside him.

"You ready?" Dean asked as he moved a little, starting to set a slow and gentle rhythm when Sam nodded for him to continue. Dean carefully watched his brother's face for any sign that this was too much and even though there were tears on Sam's face, Sam continued to move with him.

"This is for them." Sam said with determination in his voice as he gently patted his stomach.

Dean nodded though he thought that this was also for his brother, to show the kid that sex didn't have to hurt… not when it was done right and with someone you cared about and who cared about you. "For them." He agreed as he reached up and gently covered Sam's hand with his.

Sam smiled weakly as Dean brushed over his sensitive prostate again. "It doesn't hurt." He said quietly.

"I told you that it didn't have to." Dean replied before groaning and tossing his head to the side as he continued to work towards completion. After a moment, he turned back to face his brother and gripped Sam's waist. "Sammy, this isn't just for the kids… or me. I want you to get something out of this too, okay?" He said cautiously.

Sam swallowed. "What do you mean?" He asked thickly.

"I don't wanna be the only one coming." Dean responded before he thought _I never thought I'd be saying that sentence to you._

Sam shook his head and raised his head, looking away.

"Sam," Dean started fighting to not roll his eyes at the rather intense sensations surrounding him. "It isn't… it isn't wrong or bad to touch yourself or to have someone else touch you, not if it's done to give you pleasure."

Sam shook his head again, tears building up in his eyes again.

_I can't be the only one to cum _Dean thought knowing that if that happened then he would feel like he had just used his brother and that was something that he wasn't prepared to ever let happen. Dean reached up and gently tilted his brother's head up so that he could look him in the eye. "Don't cry Sammy, it's okay." He soothed swiping the tears away with his thumb.

"I… I haven't… not since…" Sam drifted off, biting his lip as he shivered.

Dean internally growled, wishing he could kill that bastard all over again for what he'd done. "Sammy, did it feel wrong before? Hunh… did you feel bad about doing something natural before all of this happened?" Dean asked as he stopped moving so he could concentrate on trying to convince his brother that what happened didn't make him dirty.

Sam shook his head no because while it wasn't like he masturbated constantly before the rape had happened but he had done it… as much as any other teenage boy but since then, he hadn't been able to. When he tried, all he could think about was the demon telling him how he watched him do it and he would always feel so dirty and ashamed that he had contributed to the demon's pleasure. "He watched me… he said that he liked it…" Sam cried, hanging his head in shame.

Dean sighed. "Did you want him to watch you?" He asked. "Did you want him to like it?"

Sam's head shot up, anger blazing in his eyes now. "What the hell do you think?" He practically shouted.

"Then it's his problem Sam, it was his fault… he was the dirty one, not you. You were doing something that every single fucking person on the planet does. Hell, it's so natural wild animals do it!" Dean shouted back.

Sam shook his head again. "You don't understand… I feel like he's still there, like he's still watching me and like it's gonna make him come after me again."

"Sammy," Dean felt like crying for the poor kid and he took a moment to calm himself down, not wanting to scare his brother. "You're right I don't understand but what I do know is that he can't watch you. He's dead Sam, not just in hell but dead… gone for forever, he can't come back… ever." Dean promised rubbing his hand along Sam's side. "And you didn't make him come after you Sam, that was his choice and there wasn't anything you could have done to ask for what happened, you understand me?"

Sam sniffled, hoping to God that Dean was telling him the truth and that the bastard was really dead and not just hiding, waiting to strike again. "You promise?" He asked.

Dean nodded confidently. "I promise Sam, you're safe here… always will be." He said as he wrapped his arms around his brother's waist.

After a moment, Sam nodded. "O… okay." He agreed, a tiny almost not there smile on his face. "If you say so."

Dean nodded and resumed his movements, only this time including his brother and removing one arm from around Sam's swollen waist. Sam swallowed when Dean took his hand and wrapped it around his member, working both of them to completion several minutes later. Being immensely careful, Dean helped Sam climb off of him and lay down on the bed on his side.

"Where are you going?" Sam asked when he saw Dean begin to climb off of the bed. He really didn't feel like being alone right now.

"To get a washcloth, be right back." He promised as he hurried to the bathroom. When he came back, he grabbed a shirt from Sam's dresser and helped his brother change after he'd cleaned him up. Taking off his own soiled shirt, Dean headed to get a new one when he was stopped by his brother's soft and sleepy voice.

"Thank you." Sam mumbled, giving Dean a small smile. Sam wasn't sure if he was thanking his brother for helping him to save the twins, showing him that he wasn't dirty simply because he had human and natural needs or for just generally everything that had transpired between them in the past seven and a half months.

Dean shook his head as he slipped the new t-shirt over his head and walked back to the bed, flipping the light off as he did so. He wasn't sure how to respond, after all saying 'you're welcome' didn't seem appropriate so instead, he simply wrapped an arm around Sam's waist and pressed a light to kiss to the back of his brother's head. When he went to tell his brother goodnight, he realized that Sam had fallen fast asleep. _Damn… night little brother_ he thought before he placed a hand on Sam's round stomach. A moment later, his eyes snapped open with one thought racing through his head. _I'm a fucking daddy now_ he thought.

* * *

Hey, so how was that? Was it okay or did I fail miserably... I tried to make the emphasis be more on their brotherly relationship and the fact that Dean was helping Sam and not have it be romantic or lustful so hopefully, I pulled that off. I'm quite nervous though so please let me know what you thought. Thanks for reading! I'll try to post the next chapter soon and I'm not too sure how many chapters are left but I think we're starting to wind down a bit. Anyways, thanks again and I can't wait to hear from all of you! :)


	30. Chapter 30

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter as Sam and Dean deal with the aftermath of what occured last chapter. Their dealing with the immediate ramifactions of it will be done in two chapters (though the effects of it will obvousily be a lot longer lasting) as I felt like if I put it all in this one then that might be a little too crowded. Oh, and I know that the scene dividers aren't centered like they normally are... for some reason it won't let me change it so oh well.

Thanks to everybody for all of your reviews and support! I'm so thrilled that so many people like this story and I hope that you will continue to enjoy it! I'm not quite sure how many more chapters are left or what I am going to do after this story finishes... I'm thinking that I could either continue it in a sequel or in a series of one shots... which one would you guys prefer?

Now, on with the story, enjoy! :)

* * *

The next morning Dean woke half an hour before his alarm was set to go off. Still tired from not having slept well the night before, he carefully climbed out of bed so as to not wake his brother. Dean yawned and stretched as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He'd stayed awake for the greater part of the night, silently running over the fact that he was indeed a father now; that the two unborn babies he'd previously seen on the ultrasound screens were his son and daughter. _Frick… you guys are mine_ Dean thought before he gently laid a hand on Sam's very swollen stomach. "Shh, it's okay." He whispered when Sam moaned a little before he fell back asleep as he didn't really want to know just how awkward it was going to be between the two of them now or really what was expected of him.

_Why the hell does it always have to be awkward the morning after?_ Dean asked himself before he shook his head, reaching down to pick his pajama pants up off of the floor. _It's awkward for an entirely different reason_ he thought acknowledging the fact was that in the past, he knew he'd probably never see that chick ever again so there was hardly ever any emotional connection there… just a simple fuck in the Wham Bam, Thank you Ma'am style. _Sam's not a simple fuck or a meaningless one-night stand_ Dean told himself as he paused and gazed at his sleeping sibling. His eyes landed on his brother's swollen stomach and he breathed nervously as he once again realized that the two babies inside his brother now belonged to him. _Shit…_ he thought feeling a heavy sense of responsibility come over him. He'd always felt responsible for Sam, ever since the first time he'd even seen his little brother but now with the knowledge that Sam was carrying his children, the feeling was intensified greatly. _Guess that's why I'm off to work now… somebody's got to make sure that the three of you are well taken care of_ he concluded.

Biting his lip as he stood, watching over Sam, Dean knew that he and Sam were going to have to talk about what had happened and where the hell they went from here but now wasn't the time. He just hoped that Sam wouldn't be feeling too upset during the day while he was gone at work. The last thing he wanted was for Sam to regret what they had done or feel used from it. Sighing, Dean gave his brother one last glance before he grabbed some clean clothes and headed into the bathroom, hoping that a shower would help him to clear his head. Thirty minutes later, Dean was showered, shaved, and dressed and heading down the hall intent on grabbing a bite to eat before setting off for the day.

_Crap_ Dean thought when he saw his dad sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee. He paused in the doorway to run a hand through his hair. _I hope like shit he can't tell_ Dean prayed, not sure of how their dad would react to having to face the reality of knowing that his two sons had just fucked the night before. _Stop freaking out, it's not like you or Sam gave each other hickeys_ Dean thought even as he shuddered a little bit. This was so not a conversation he was looking forward to having. "Morning," He grumbled as he made his way to the stove and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Morning," John said glancing up from where he sat reading the newspaper.

"What time did you get in last night?" Dean asked trying to gauge if their dad had put it together yet or not.

"Around two." John answered. "What time does your shift end tonight?"

"Six-thirty so I'm hoping to be home by seven but we'll see…" He drifted off before he drained his coffee. "Hey dad, do me a favor?"

John quirked an eyebrow at his son but nodded for Dean to continue.

"Keep an eye on Sammy today, alright?" He asked, wanting to know just where his brother's head was going to be after last night.

John nodded. "Always." He replied instantly.

Dean nodded even as he turned to look out the kitchen window. "Maybe have Steven look him over too?" Dean suggested.

"Why, is he okay?" John asked already reaching for his phone to call the doctor who was still staying at Jim's house.

Dean nodded again. "Yeah, he's fine." _I hope_ he silently added and beginning to kick himself for suggesting that Sam needed to see the doctor… that was cutting it a little close.

"Dean, what's going on?" John asked starting to get concerned as he knew how in tune Dean and Sam were and if Dean thought that his little brother needed Steven then chances were that he probably did.

"It's nothing… don't worry about it." He shrugged as he grabbed his jacket off of the peg by the front door. "I'll see ya later." And with that, he was gone leaving his dad behind to wonder just what the hell that had been about.

~DW/SW~

Sam was woken up by his bladder screaming at him and only a minute later, followed by some harsh kicks to his insides. _Boy, do you two know how to get attention_ he silently grumbled as he waddled to the bathroom. Yawning, he splashed some water on his face and walked over to the tub plugging the drain and beginning to run a bath. Stripping slowly out of his pajamas, he slowly sank into the warm water letting it soothe his aching muscles. "Ah yeah, that feels better, doesn't it guys?" He asked as he rubbed his belly trying to comfort the twins inside him as well as himself. Eventually, Sam leaned back against the edge of the tub, his eyes slowly drifting closed feeling content for the first time in months.

_Guess we can relax now, hunh?_ He thought to himself, relieved that he no longer had to worry about his twins being half-demon. With what he and Dean had done last night, Sam felt like they had eliminated the threat of someone, either a member of their family or another hunter, hunting down his children. He no longer had to worry about them growing up developing powers or turning evil… no, now he could worry about all of the normal stuff that all parents wondered about. _Wait, what if Steven's right?_ He suddenly asked himself, his eyes widening with fear and worry.

He remembered the day that he had discovered just what his family wanted him to do and how the doctor had argued against it. Steven had claimed that Sam and Dean were too closely related and that there was too great of a risk of their shared DNA causing either one or both of the twins to have some genetic disease. _No, no_ Sam shook his head, tears filling his eyes as he wondered if he'd just saved his children from one destiny but condemned them to another.

~DW/SW~

Dean was checking inventory, trying to keep his mind busy until it was time for his lunch break and he could call home to see how Sam was holding up. "Excuse me sir," Dean turned around to face a man who looked to be in his thirties and had a couple of kids with him.

"Hi, what can I help you with?" He asked as he paused from checking items off of his clipboard, smiling down at the little girl who was sitting in the cart.

"My dad's gonna build us a fort!" The little boy said excitedly from where he was standing beside his father.

Dean nodded, smiling. "Wow, that sounds cool!" Dean replied back, laughing a little bit at the look of pure happiness on the kid's face.

The little boy nodded back at Dean. "It's super cool!"

"I was wondering if you could help me cut some plywood." The man interjected, putting a hand on his son's shoulder to stop the little boy from distracting them any longer.

"Sure thing." Dean answered before he led them to the back of the store where they kept the plywood and drywall.

"Thanks." The man said as he pushed his cart behind Dean.

"It's not a problem." Dean responded.

The little boy hurried to catch up to Dean and began talking again. "Yeah, our fort's gonna be the best and it's supposed to be a boys only club but daddy says that I have to share it with Carly and mommy so it can't be only boys." The little boy explained, pouting a little.

"Oh really, well that's nice of you to share your fort with them." Dean replied.

"Yeah, I am nice." The little boy boasted making both his father and Dean laugh a little.

"What size plywood are you thinking?" Dean asked when they entered the proper aisle.

"I think three two by fours should do the trick." The man answered as he parked the customized shopping cart out of the way and turned to face Dean.

"Kay," Dean said, walking over to where the plywood was stacked and carefully unloaded one piece. Making sure he knew that he wasn't going to hit the kid with it, he carried it over to the table saw and cut it into the proper sizes. "Alright, here you go… anything else I can help you with?" He asked once he'd handed the cut pieces to the man.

The man looked inside his cart, silently going over what he had and shook his head no. "Nah, I think that'll do it. Thanks for your help."

"No problem, have a good day." Dean responded, a smile on his face, as he watched the young dad and his two kids begin to walk away.

When they were almost out of the aisle, the little boy paused and turned back around. "Thank you!" He shouted, smiling.

Dean smiled back. "You're welcome. Have fun in your fort, okay?"

The little boy nodded. "I will." He answered before he began to run after his dad again.

Dean stood watching the three of them walk away before a thought hit him. _That could be me in a couple of years… hunh… maybe it won't be so bad_ he thought to himself as he checked his watch once again seeing that he had a half hour left till he could take his lunch break.

~DW/SW~

"Hey dad," Sam said in a quiet voice when he entered the garage. He'd wandered through the house a little until he'd made his way out into the garage where he'd found their dad, apparently going through boxes.

John smiled and walked over to Sam when he saw his youngest standing in the doorway to the garage. He hadn't seen much of Sam today as his son had stayed in his room mostly only coming out to eat a late breakfast about an hour and a half ago. John had figured that Sam was resting in his room, taking it easy as he should be. He remembered how tired Mary had been at the end of both of her pregnancies and he knew that Sam was probably feeling the same way. "Hey son, how ya feeling?" John asked as he dusted his hands off.

Sam shrugged.

"Everything okay?" John asked concerned as he remembered how Dean had suggested a visit from Steven.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, yeah, we're fine but I was wondering… do you think Steven's at Jim's right now?" He asked, biting his lip nervously.

_Now you're asking for him too? _John raised an eyebrow. "He should be. Sam, be straight with me… you're feeling okay, right?"

Sam nodded again. "Yeah, I just want to ask him something is all."

John nodded back at Sam even as he looked his son over trying to spot any signs that his youngest was in trouble.

"What ya doing out here?" Sam asked a moment later, redirecting the conversation away from himself.

John glanced back at where he had been working, stepping to the side a little so that Sam could see the stroller and the car seats that he was busy assembling. "Those two need transportation, right?"

Sam smiled softly, feeling tears start to prick his eyes for the second time that day. "Thanks." He mumbled, sniffling a little.

"Don't thank me for something I was happy to do son." John replied. "You sure you're okay? Anything you ah… you wanna talk about?" He asked when he saw the tears in Sam's eyes.

Sam shook his head. "Just a little nervous is all."

John nodded understandingly. "That's perfectly normal but everything's gonna be okay." He tried to reassure. He had been nervous too when both Dean and Sam's births were approaching. With Dean, he'd worried over not knowing how to do things correctly and with Sammy, his concern had been more about being able to spend equal amounts of time with both his kids. He had also had anxiety for Mary during both occasions, hoping that she would be alright and now he found that while the worry came from a different place, he was concerned to find out how his son would handle labor.

Sam smiled as he wiped his eyes. "Yeah, it will be." _Unless we hurt them…_ he thought as he stepped back inside the house. "I'm gonna go call Steven… see ya in a bit."

"Okay, later Sammy." John said as he watched his son walk away before he returned to the job at hand.

~DW/SW~

Sam stood in the kitchen, leaning against the wall as he held the phone up to his ear listening to it ring. _Please pick up, please pick up_ he prayed as he rubbed a nervous hand over his large stomach.

"Hello?" Jim asked a few minutes later causing Sam to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Hey Jim, it's me." Sam replied.

"Hey Sam, how are you?" The pastor asked. He hadn't seen Sam in a few days and he was curious as to how the young man was handling everything.

"I'm… I'm okay." Sam answered. _I'd be better if I knew that I didn't just do something incredibly stupid_ he silently added. "Is Steven there… I want to ask him something?"

Sam heard Jim sigh and it made him hold his breath. "I'm sorry Sam but he just left a couple of minutes ago."

"Oh, do you know when he'll be back?" Sam asked hoping that Jim would say soon.

Jim shook his head even though Sam couldn't see him. "No, he said he was going to look into a job at the hospital in town."

"Oh…" Sam repeated in a disappointed voice. "Can… can you tell him to call me when he gets in please?"

"Sure Sam." Jim answered as he wondered why Sam needed to talk to his doctor. He hoped everything was alright.

"Thanks, bye Jim." Sam replied quietly before he hung the phone up, his shoulders sagging a little with worry and disappointment.

~DW/SW~

Dean stood in the employee lounge, his cell phone pressed to his ear. "Come on, come on, come on," He muttered to himself before he heard the busy tone. _Fantastic!_ He grumbled as he flipped his phone shut and put it back in his locker. _I guess I'll try again later_ Dean thought to himself as he walked back out into the store.

~DW/SW~

Dean walked into the house, their house he reminded himself and saw Sam sitting on the couch, wrapped up in a blanket lazily watching TV. _And here we go…_ he thought, feeling somewhat nervous as he wondered if Sam was going to bring it up or was it up to him. "Hey," He called out as he hung his jacket up, grateful that his brother had the heater on. Considering it was the end of November, it was freezing ass outside.

Sam briefly turned around, flashing Dean a small smile.

"How was your day?" Dean asked as he walked over to the couch and took a seat beside his brother.

Sam shrugged.

"What's going on?" He asked, starting to feel concerned at his brother's quietness.

Sam swallowed. "Steven's gonna come over soon." Sam explained.

Dean's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Why? What's wrong?" He asked as he studied his brother trying to find something that could explain an impromptu doctor's visit.

Sam shook his head. "Um, nothing…" _I hope_ he thought. "Just have something I want to talk to him about." Sam shot Dean a knowing look but quickly wiped it off his face, not wanting to seem ungrateful or paranoid.

Dean nodded, still a little worried. "Where's dad?" He asked.

"I'm here." John called as he walked out into the living room, dressed in his work uniform. "Sam, you sure you're okay with me going to work tonight? I mean, if you think something's wrong then I can always call in sick."

Sam shook his head again as he really didn't want their dad to find out quite yet… he had enough to worry about right now without adding that into the mix. "No, no… it'll be okay." He said smiling at his dad as he tried to reassure him that he didn't have to stay home tonight.

"Okay, I'll see you boys later then." John said with the slightest bit of hesitation in his voice.

"Bye dad!" Sam and Dean called unanimously causing John to smile a bit before he walked out the door, locking it behind him.

With their dad gone, Sam and Dean sat on the couch in awkward silence for a few minutes. "Sam, about last night… I just wanted to ah say that ah… that well, this doesn't change anything." Dean started to say both his voice and posture awkward.

"Yeah, that's actually why Steven's coming over." Sam replied softly a few minutes later.

Dean's concern grew again. "Why? Did I hurt you last night?" He asked worriedly. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Sam shook his head as he rushed to reassure his brother that he was fine. _Yeah, I am but let's just hope that these two are as well_ he thought. "No, no it's nothing like that," Sam started. "I just… I want to make sure that they're okay after last night. I mean, Steven said that it could be dangerous since we're related and all and well, I just want to be sure."

Dean nodded even as he bit his lip, now worried for the sake of the twins too. When he had suggested earlier in the day for Steven to come over, he had been thinking more about his brother and whether or not Sam was physically okay after last night. Glancing over at his brother, Dean saw the fear on Sam's face that his brother was trying to hide and sighed softly. Moving closer to Sam, he slipped his arm around Sam's shoulders, squeezing him gently. "It's gonna be okay." He comforted.

Sam nodded, trying hard not to panic. "Yeah, I know it will be." He agreed as he glanced at the clock on the wall seeing that Steven should be there any moment.

_Guess we'll talk more about this later_ Dean thought when the doorbell rang only a couple of minutes later. "I got it." He said as he stood from the couch and walked over to the door, checking to see who it was first before opening it. "Hey," He greeted as he stepped aside so Steven could enter.

Steven smiled and nodded at Dean before turning his attention to Sam. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" He asked as he took a seat on the chair opposite the couch.

Dean followed Steven back into the family room and sat down beside his brother, staying quiet as they waited for Sam to speak.

"I um… well, don't be mad about this please but I need you to run some tests." He started.

"What kind of tests?" Steven asked, surprised and starting to get a little anxious.

Sam glanced at Dean for a moment as he wet his lips nervously. Dean was surprised when Sam's hand snaked out to grab his but he didn't try to pull his hand back, realizing that his brother needed his support right now. _And besides, we had sex last night… holding hands is nothing_ Dean thought. "We… we did it," Sam said softly, a deep blush covering his cheeks.

It took a moment to process but Steven's eyes grew large as he looked between the two brothers. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair and over his face. "When?" He asked.

"Last night." Sam blushed again. "Look, I… I know you're probably not real happy about this but it… what else was I supposed to do?" Sam asked getting on the defensive even though no one was attacking him.

Dean squeezed his brother's hand. "Calm down." He whispered as he took over the reins of the conversation.

Sam nodded and sniffled.

"There's tests you can run, right… like genetic tests to check for diseases and stuff?" Dean asked, remembering reading about the different tests in the pregnancy book.

Steven nodded. "I don't really have the equipment to be able to do that though."

"I can get it for you." Dean said knowing that he'd be willing to sneak into a hospital and jack whatever Steven needed. "Just make a list and I'll get it."

Steven stood up and began pacing. "No, I don't think that's necessary." He ran a hand over his face again. "I've been looking into getting a job at one of the local hospitals since I'm going to have to earn a living somehow… especially since Laura's coming back." Steven explained.

Sam looked up at Steven, his eyes wide. "She is?" He asked surprised and momentarily getting off topic.

Steven nodded. "She called me today and asked if she could come live with me. I told her yes… I know her mom can be a bit… difficult." He smirked softly before his gaze flicked back to Sam. "She asked about you."

Sam hung his head. "What did you tell her?" He asked in a quiet voice.

"I said you were doing well… that you didn't have much longer to go." Steven answered, trying to let Sam know that he'd never betray his patient's confidence about the rape or any of the details of the pregnancy.

Sam nodded.

"She wants to see you." Steven added, unsure of how the pregnant teen would react to that.

"She… she does?" Sam looked a little on the panicked side as he swallowed thickly.

Steven nodded again. "Yeah, I told her I'd talk to you and see what you were up for."

"Oh…" Sam sighed, grateful that Steven hadn't promised any visits anytime soon. He wasn't quite sure how his friend would react to seeing him in such a changed position or if he really wanted her to see him like this.

"So back to the equipment, I think that if you give me a week or two, I should be able to collect everything I need during one of your appointments and then I can run it in the lab at the hospital." Steven explained all the while thinking that he would have to be careful and do it himself as to not let anybody find out that he had a male patient.

Sam nodded even though he wasn't sure he could wait a week or two to find out what condition his twin's health was in.

The three of them sat in silence for a while until Steven spoke again. "Does your dad know?" He asked.

Both Sam and Dean shook their heads no. "Nah, we ah… we're kind of delaying making that announcement if you know what I mean." Dean answered.

Steven nodded understandingly, admitting to incest wasn't exactly an easy thing to do he figured.

"What do you think the chances are that there will be something?" Dean asked, wanting to know what they should expect.

"I can't really say without knowing much about your family history." He answered. "So, do either of you know of any diseases or conditions that run on either your dad's or your mom's side?"

Sam and Dean looked at each other, both knowing that neither knew anything. "You know our mom died when we were little and dad's pretty tight-lipped about anything pre-hunting so no… got no clue." Dean replied, now wishing that he and Sam did know their extended family a little or at least some information on them.

Steven drew in a tired breath. "Well, that's helpful." He muttered to himself. "Look Sam, why don't I check you over right now? I doubt I'll be able to tell you anything about the twins and what might have changed now that Dean's the father but we might as well see how everyone's doing."

Sam nodded. "I'll meet you in our room… gotta go." He said as he waddled down the hall and into the bathroom.

Both Dean and Steven nodded as Steven picked up the bag of medical supplies that he'd brought with him. "So what are you going to have to do for the tests?" Dean asked as he and Steven walked down the hall to wait for Sam.

"Since he's in his third trimester, it's going to be a little different than if he'd had it done the whole way along." Steven started. "The biggest test that I'll run will be an amniocentesis and what that is, is I'll obtain a small bit of amniotic fluid and take it to the lab at the hospital to test it for chromosomal disorders or defects of the nervous system…" Steven was interrupted when Sam walked in the room.

"I heard something about testing amniotic fluid?" Sam asked as he placed a protective hand on his stomach.

Steven nodded. "Yes, Dean was asking me about what tests he thought I would run and I was explaining that I would do an amniocentesis which is basically where I test the amniotic fluid for any chromosomal abnormalities."

"How long does that one take?" Sam asked as he rested back against the pillows.

"It's usually a 24 hour wait to get the results but the test itself takes only minutes." He answered.

Dean nodded as he paid attention to everything Steven was saying. He wanted to be sure that Sam and the, his, twins were getting the best care possible. Glancing down at his brother, he saw Sam yawn and looked back up at the doctor.

"You think you can stay awake a little while longer?" Steven asked Sam.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, just haven't been sleeping all that well lately."

"That's common now but I still need you to try and get as much rest as you can."He replied.

"I know, it's just that I'm really uncomfortable and I'm nervous." Sam explained, sounding tired and scared. The closer that he got to his impending due date, December 27th, the more nervous he got about possibly giving birth. Steven had talked to him about how a c-section would more than likely be required and even though Sam was relieved that he wouldn't have to push his kids out and have a natural birth, he still wasn't looking forward to it. Then on top of his nerves, his back was now aching constantly and his feet throbbed.

"Most people are nervous at this stage Sam, especially when it's the first pregnancy but you've done really well so far… way better than I ever would have expected to be honest and I don't see any reason why that would change." Steven reassured.

Sam nodded, trying to take some comfort from Steven's words. _See, he says you're doing well_ Sam told himself, trying hard not to worry so much.

"So, let's see here and then I'll let you get some rest." Steven said as he began the appointment. Fifteen minutes later, he announced that both twins looked to be growing at a healthy rate and he didn't find anything concerning.

Dean smiled at his brother. "See, I told you it was gonna be okay."

Sam nodded and returned the smile as he pulled his shirt back down, fighting back a yawn but both Dean and Steven could see how tired he was.

Steven stood and walked to the doorway. "Get some rest Sam and I'll call you when I have the equipment, alright?" He ordered.

Sam nodded. "Thanks again for coming over." He smiled tiredly.

Steven shook his head. "Don't mention it. I'll see ya later." He said before walking down the hall.

"I'm just going to go lock up after Steven and then I'll be back in." Dean told his brother before he followed Steven out to the front of the house. "So, you think they're going to be okay?" He asked as the two of them stood in the front doorway.

Steven nodded. "I won't lie Dean, you two definitely took a gamble but I think the chances of anything actually happening are pretty small."

Dean bit his lip and nodded. "Well, thanks… I guess we'll see you later."

"Yup, bye Dean." Steven said as he made his way to his car. Dean watched Steven drive away before he shut and locked the door. He leaned back against the closed door and sent up a silent prayer that Steven was right and nothing was wrong with either twin.

* * *

Hey! So, how was this chapter? I hope you liked it and felt that it flowed with the story. Thanks again for reading and I can't wait to hear everybody's thoughts on the chapter!

Remember, one-shots or a sequel... which one do you want? Please let me know. Thanks again! :)


	31. Chapter 31

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter... I'm not quite sure that I wrote John all that well this time around so I apologize if he feels 'off'. I wanted him to be understanding but I may have gone a little overboard... please let me know your take on him. I think there's about two chapters left until the babies come but don't worry, I don't plan on ending the story just because they get here. I think it will probably go a little further than that and then we'll delve into the sequel. I'm thinking that there will probably also be some one-shots to show what happens in between the time when this story ends and when the sequel will start.

Thanks for all of the reviews! I can't believe that this story is now 31 chapters long and that it has over 400 reviews... it's insane and I never expected it to reach that level! And the fact that it has managed to entertain all of you for that long is really, really cool :D I hope you guys know just how much I appreciate you taking the time to read this, I owe you guys a million thanks! Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter and I'm looking forward to hearing back from all of you!

Oh and just as a note, I'm back to school now so it might be a little longer in between updates. Now, enough of me... Enjoy :)

* * *

Dean dimmed the lights as he walked down the hall, quietly opening their bedroom door. When he saw Sam curled up on his side, fast asleep, he decided to head back out to the living room and just give his brother some space and time to himself. He figured that with Steven poking and prodding him and the rest of them always wanting to keep an eye on him maybe the kid might like a little alone time because Lord knew the kid wasn't going to be getting too much after the twins were born.

Dean walked to the fridge in the kitchen and took out a beer before heading out to the living room. He kicked his boots off and flicked the TV on, hoping that there would be something to distract him. _I didn't even think about that_ Dean sighed, he had been so worried about how all of this would affect his brother that the fact that they were mixing similar DNA hadn't even crossed his mind. _Please let them both be alright_ he prayed knowing that his brother would be devastated if any of the tests came back positive and that both of them would feel guilty as hell for causing the twins to have to suffer. Dean took a long sip of his beer as he continued to think about the possible consequences. _Well, if there is something wrong then we'll deal with it_ he thought to himself knowing that that result would ensure their dad finding out about what the two of them had done in no time.

~DW/SW~

Sam was lying on his bed on his side, one hand tucked underneath his cheek and the other rubbing gentle circles on his rounded stomach. He smiled tearfully when he felt either a foot or a hand push back against him. "Hey baby," He murmured quietly. "You're gonna be okay, both of you will be… you guys have to be." He said just before the first few tears began to fall.

_Guess I should start naming you guys hunh… we'll see what your other daddy thinks._ Sam smiled ruefully as he thought about the suggestions his brother would probably have. _He'll probably want to name you after someone in a vest and leather pants. Well, I don't think that's gonna be happening_ he silently argued as he tried to think up possible names.

~DW/SW~

Hearing his stomach growl, Dean stood from his seat on the couch and walked into the kitchen. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was near eight thirty in the evening and it made him wonder if Sam had eaten dinner earlier with their dad or not since there wasn't a plate waiting for him. Dean set the can of soup he'd grabbed from the cabinet onto the countertop by the stove and headed down the hall, quietly opening the door not wanting to wake his brother if Sam was still asleep. He saw Sam lying on his side, his back facing the door. He thought that the kid was still sleeping and figured that it was a good thing that Sam caught up on some of his rest. Just as he was about to shut the door, he heard Sam mumble something quietly. _Is he having a nightmare?_ Dean wondered, taking a few steps into the room wanting to check and make sure that it wasn't anything serious.

Sam rolled over onto his other side as he pushed himself up, feeling surprised when he saw Dean standing in their room. He hadn't heard his brother come in. "Oh, hey Dean," He said stretching a little and thrusting his large stomach forward.

"You ok?" Dean asked, confused. If Sam hadn't been having a nightmare then who was he talking to? His mind immediately drew the worried and scary conclusion that somehow, someway another one of those demonic bitches had managed to infiltrate his brother's mind. _Guess these punks just don't learn_ he silently thought as he gritted his teeth in anger.

Sam nodded, unaware that Dean's temper was slowly building. "Yeah, I'm okay. Do you know where we have any scratch paper or anything?" Sam asked, looking around the room.

Dean thought for a minute as he observed his brother. _He doesn't look upset_ he noted. Realizing that Sam didn't appear panicked or worried, Dean slowly calmed down. "There might be some out in the kitchen. Why, is there something you need?" He asked, wondering if this was the start of another one of his brother's cravings. If so, he could call their dad and have him pick it up on his way home since there was no way he was leaving Sam here alone and he highly doubted his brother would want to run the errand with him.

Sam shook his head. "Nah, I just want to make a list."

Dean nodded, not really feeling like that explained much. "Hey, um… I was gonna make myself a snack… you hungry at all?"

Sam smiled a little. "I could eat." He said just as his son gave him a powerful kick. "Guess they could too."

Dean laughed a little feeling like if Sam was smiling, then there probably wasn't too much to be worried about. "Okay, I'll get ya when it's ready." He said as he started to walk out of their room.

Sam paused when he saw Dean begin to leave and he sat up, wondering if his company was wanted or not. "Um, actually… I was wondering if you'd want to help me with something?" Sam asked sounding a bit shy and hesitant.

Dean paused and turned back around. "Sure, what do you need help with?" He asked hoping that the kid wasn't feeling sick or anything. He was sure that if they called for Steven for a second time today, the doctor might end up putting Sam on bed rest or something like that and Dean couldn't really imagine Sam being all that okay with that particular order.

"They're gonna be here soon and well, I was thinking that maybe we should start thinking about names?" Sam suggested.

Dean nodded, smiling. "Okay," He was glad that his brother was asking him help to pick out the babies' names.

Sam smiled back, relieved that Dean wanted to do that with him. _Why wouldn't he? They're his kids too_ Sam told himself.

~DW/SW~

Dean stood in the kitchen cooking the soup while Sam sat at the kitchen table, a pad of paper and a pencil in front of him. "Who should we start with?" He asked, biting his lip nervously.

"Either one." Dean shrugged as he opened a cupboard and took out two plates putting some rice on each.

"Okay, I guess we'll start with her." Sam sat for a moment as he thought up names, silently wondering which ones his brother would go for. For some reason, he thought that it would probably be easier to name their son. "What about Amy?" He asked after a couple of minutes had passed.

"It's not bad but what else do ya got? You want water right?" He asked a moment later as he paused from taking the plastic jug out of the fridge.

Sam nodded. "Yes please." He responded as he wrote Amy down on the paper with a question mark next to it. "Caitlin?"

Dean thought for a moment. "I kind of like that more as a middle name… what do you think?" He asked carrying the two plates over to the table, setting one down in front of Sam after he'd moved the piece of paper out of the way.

"Let's pick her first name first." He said laughing a little.

Dean nodded, laughing a little too and feeling just the tad bit lighter for the first time in a while. It was really good to see that Sam was able to relax some even with the uncertainty they were facing. "Yeah okay… what about Sarah?" He asked.

Sam shrugged, not opposed to the name but not feeling too wild about it either. "Let's keep thinking." Over the next several minutes, Sam and Dean threw names at each other, Sam writing down the ones that they both agreed on. Taking a swig of his iced water, Sam looked at the names for their daughter and saw that they had a pretty good selection. "I think he needs some attention too."

Dean smiled. "Okay, hit me." He responded before taking a large mouthful of his chicken soup.

"Ah… Aaron?" Sam asked causing Dean to shake his head no.

"Neither one of them is going to have a name that sounds like it could also be used for the opposite sex." He said sternly.

"People look at the spelling Dean." Sam replied, rolling his eyes at his brother.

"It's a no, now what else ya thinking?" He asked moving on with the conversation.

"Christopher?" Sam asked, quirking a brow.

"It's a maybe… what about Daniel?" Dean asked.

"Daniel Winchester…" Sam said trying the name out. "It's okay." He wanted to suggest naming his son after one of the members of his family but he wasn't sure how well that would work out. There were a lot of people who had helped him out over the past several months and he didn't want to offend anyone by not giving them a namesake. _You only have two kids to name_ Sam thought, trying to reassure himself a little.

Dean saw the contemplative look on his brother's face and wondered what was up as Sam also looked a little worried. "What's up?" He asked sitting back in his chair.

Sam shrugged with a small frown still in place. "I'm just thinking 'bout something." He answered.

"What about?" Dean pushed.

"If we should name him after someone…" Sam drifted off, biting his lip nervously.

"Oh yeah, like who?" Dean asked smirking even though he wasn't too sure about having Dean Jr. as a son. He didn't think that it sounded right.

"That's just it… everybody's been really great so I don't know who it would be. And I don't want anyone to be hurt too, ya know?" Sam explained as he watched his brother, trying to gauge Dean's reaction to that suggestion.

Dean nodded. "Well, we'll think about it and decide. And I mean, nobody's forcing us to name them something… we'll name 'em what we want." Dean reassured smiling softly at his brother.

Sam nodded in agreement. "Yeah, thanks for the late dinner." He said looking at his mostly empty bowl.

"No problem. I was hungry and I didn't know if you'd eaten yet or not so…" He shrugged as he began to clear the table.

Sam sat there twiddling the pen in between his fingers as he wondered what to say next. "Um Dean?" He asked. There was something else he wanted to propose to his brother but he wasn't sure how to phrase it or even how Dean would respond. It was kind of a complicated deal after all.

"Yeah," Dean called as he kept his back to Sam while he did the dishes, rinsing them before leaning down to put them in the dishwasher.

"You know you're um… you're more than their uncle now?" Sam started wondering what Dean would say to that. The two of them hadn't really talked much about _that_ night and he wasn't sure where his brother stood on this particular issue.

_Yeah but what… are they gonna have two dads?_ Dean thought to himself, trying to figure out how they would explain that to the twins once they were older. "What about it?" He asked, curious as to what his brother was getting at.

"Well, I was thinking about what they were gonna call us, ya know." Sam said quietly, feeling a little shy and unsure right now.

Dean turned around giving his brother a weird look. "They're calling you dad, Sam." He said, sounding confident. Why the hell Sam would think any different from that, he didn't know.

Sam looked at his brother curiously. "But you're their dad too." _I thought this was supposed to fix things, not cause more questions_ Sam thought to himself.

"Dude, you're the one doing all the hard work… they're calling you dad. We'll think of something else for me." He said turning back around so that Sam couldn't see the small bit of jealousy he felt.

"Yeah but I don't want them to call you uncle." Sam stated as he got up from his seat and walked over to the sink. He rolled his sleeves up and began to help clean the dishes that were too big to fit in the dishwasher. "I mean, I don't know… it just feels like with everything you've done… that's a little distant." _You've given up more than enough for me my entire life and now it isn't any different… you deserve something_ Sam thought as he began to get a bit emotional. He sniffled silently cursing his hormones.

Dean sighed when he heard his brother sniffle. "Sam, they can't have two dads. How would we explain it? We're both straight and I don't think you want to fake a relationship with me." Dean said, even as he smirked. He'd seen how Sam was beginning to get a bit worked up and he wanted to stall any water works in their tracks.

Sam smiled a little as he sniffed back his tears. He playfully slapped his brother on the arm grateful that even though this was a semi-serious discussion, Dean was still being his joking and over-confident self. It helped to make him feel like not such a girl in a really strange and awkward situation. "No, I don't… I'll find someone who doesn't think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread." Sam responded with a teasing tone.

Dean cocked an eyebrow at his brother and then laughed. "Dude, sliced bread's got nothing on me."

Sam shook his head before they both fell silent again. "So what do we do?" He asked.

Now it was Dean's turn to shake his head. "We'll think of something." He repeated, trying to put as much confidence into his voice as possible.

~DW/SW~

The next day at work, Dean kept running the names Sam had suggested to him through his head, trying to figure out which one he liked best. The problem was that while all of them were fine names, none of them were jumping out at him as something that he really wanted to commit to. All of them were okay but nothing special. "Hey man, you gonna go with us?" Dean's co-worker, Tyler, asked drawing Dean out of his thoughts.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Dean saw that it was already half past twelve and time for him to take his lunch break. He nodded as he dusted his hands off. "Sure, where are we going?" He asked.

"I don't know… Tammy wants to go to Bull's." Tyler replied.

Dean nodded. He'd been to the Mexican restaurant once when he was much younger with his dad, Sammy, and Pastor Jim and it had been pretty decent. "That's fine by me." He answered as he headed for the employee lounge to grab his jacket, phone, and car keys so he could also clock out for the time being. Having grabbed his stuff, Dean followed Tyler out to the parking lot. "Who's driving?" He asked. If it was just the three of them going then it didn't make sense to him take individual cars. Dean paused next to the Impala and placed his hand on the roof.

"We can take your car if you let me drive." Tyler grinned.

Dean's eyebrows rose up. "I don't even let my brother drive her!" He exclaimed all the while thinking _well, he doesn't have his permit so that's not that weird_.

"Her? Your car has a gender?" Tammy, Dean's fellow co-worker teased as she walked up to the pair.

Dean gently patted the Impala's roof. "She," He emphasized. "Is a beauty." Dean huffed when Tammy proceeded to laugh at him. He was glad that they hadn't made a deal when he mentioned Sam. Due to their current circumstances, he tried to not talk about his family all that much and was relieved to see that his coworkers were starting to get that. It wasn't that he was ashamed and embarrassed by Sam or what had happened, he just had no idea how the hell he would explain it to them… after all, telling people that your sixteen year old brother was pregnant with twins and due in just a couple of weeks was enough to make them think you were crazy and belonged in a straight jacket.

"Okay, okay, your car's pretty! Can we please just go get food now, my stomach's about to eat itself!" Tammy overdramatically pleaded.

"Fine, let's go feed the woman." Dean relented as he slid into the driver's seat and bringing the car to life a moment later.

~DW/SW~

Dean was sitting inside the small Mexican restaurant eating his 'Monster Menu' bean and cheese burrito enjoying himself. It was rare that he did this, just hung out with somebody. He was always busy, either working or trying to take care of his family and it was nice to have these couple of minutes to sit and eat with people who didn't want to talk about ghouls, ghosts, and goblins. He finished a few minutes later and wiped his napkin across his mouth before he stood to throw his trash away. "Guys, I'll be back in a few minutes!" He called as he quickly jogged out of the building to go across the street having spotted the bookstore that was there.

"What, where ya going?" Tyler called after him.

"I have to go pick something up!" Dean shouted back.

~DW/SW~

Later that night, Dean crawled into bed wrapping an arm around Sam's swollen belly just as he did every night. "I marked the ones I liked." He said quietly.

"Hunh?" Sam asked, feeling confused until he looked down at Dean's hand and saw that he was holding a baby name book out to him. "Oh, ah okay… cool." Sam took the book from Dean and flipped to the pages that were dog-eared. "Abigail?" Sam asked surprised. That hadn't been a name that he had thought his brother would choose.

Dean nodded, smiling a little. "Yeah, her nickname could be Abby and guess what it means."

Sam paused to adjust the pillow that was supporting his child-heavy stomach before he continued reading. "Father in rejoicing…" He swallowed knowing what his brother was getting at and he liked the idea of giving the twins names that had important meanings. Something that would almost counteract the painful and dark road it had taken them to have the two babies. "It's cute." He smiled as he flipped to the next dog-eared page wanting to know what else had caught Dean's eye.

~DW/SW~

The next day at work, Dean had just gotten back from lunch when his cell phone vibrated. Looking at the caller ID, he saw that it was 'home' and he immediately answered. "This is Dean." He said hoping that nothing was wrong.

"Dean, it's me." Sam answered and Dean thought that his brother sounded a bit worried.

"Hey, what's up? You okay?" He asked. _If he wasn't, dad's there_ Dean reminded himself.

Sam nodded even though Dean couldn't see him. "Yeah, yeah I'm okay but um Steven just called."

"Oh, what did he say?" Dean questioned as he shut his locker and walked over to the couch in the employee lounge.

"He um… he said that he has everything he needs and was wondering if we could do it tonight. He said that way we'd probably get to find out before the weekend." Sam explained.

"Oh yeah, sure that sounds good. I get off at five so I'll come straight home okay." He reassured.

Sam nodded again and even though he didn't say anything, Dean could tell that his brother was nervous.

"It's gonna be fine Sam. This is just a precaution." He tried to comfort but he didn't feel as if he was accomplishing much. His own stomach felt like it was tied up in knots so he could only imagine how Sam was feeling right now.

"I know." Sam sighed, he didn't sound convinced.

"How are you feeling today?" Dean asked wanting to judge what kind of little brother he'd have to deal with when he got home later that night.

Sam sniffled. "I'm tired and my back really hurts." Sam sighed again. He waddled over to the couch and plunked down carefully as he stretched out. His almost too small shirt stretched even more and rode up a bit exposing the taut skin. He felt tears begin to prick his eyes as his worries and the reality of their newest challenge began to overwhelm him. "It's just a lot going on, I guess." Sam sniffled all the while hoping that Dean couldn't detect the apprehension in his voice. His brother had enough to concentrate on without worrying about his emotional state for the next few hours.

Dean nodded in agreement. "Go take a nap or something." He suggested hoping that Sam wasn't going to work himself into a panic attack or something today and with their dad still in the dark about what had officially happened, Sam was almost by himself.

"I already did." Sam replied even as he yawned.

"It kind of sounds like you could use another one." Dean gently pushed as he glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that his lunch break was almost over. "Hey Sammy, I gotta go okay? But I'll be home soon, I promise."

Sam nodded. "Okay, I'll see you in a couple of hours." He said before hanging up.

Dean listened to the beeping sound alerting him that Sam had hung up and he sighed, raking a hand through his hair. He had heard the worry and nervousness in his brother's voice and thought that it was completely understandable for Sam to be feeling overwhelmed right now. _It's gonna be okay and if it isn't, then I'll make it okay_ Dean silently promised his brother.

~DW/SW~

Dean didn't think he'd ever clocked out as fast as he had tonight. As soon as the clock had struck five, Dean had been out of there and tearing out of the parking lot only leaving a cloud of smoke behind. He really wanted to know just when Steven was going to come to their house to run the tests and he for sure, wanted to be there for his brother when he did.

"Hey! I'm home!" He called as he stepped in the front door and hanging his jacket up. "Sam?" He called again when there wasn't an answer.

"He's in the bathroom," John shouted from the kitchen.

Dean nodded, relieved and walked into the kitchen. "Hey dad," He said leaning against the wall.

"So, you know Steven's coming over in about half an hour right?" His dad asked shooting Dean a knowing look.

Dean swallowed starting to feel a little uncomfortable. "Ah yeah, Sammy called me earlier." He kind of doubted that Sam would have said anything to their dad but still… the atmosphere was certainly a little on the awkward side.

"So… anything you want to tell me?" John asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. Over the past few days, he'd seen the tender touches between his sons and how Dean seemed to be paying even more attention to Sam now. Dean would often sit on the couch with Sam's feet in his lap and rub them or other affectionate things of that nature and it had sparked some questions.

Dean sighed knowing this was the moment of truth. "You knew it was gonna happen dad." He argued, defending himself and Sam.

John nodded. "I know… I'm not… I'm not upset Dean," He started only to have Dean snort at that. "I just… I wanted to be sure so what Steven's visit tonight is to make sure nothing went wrong when you two went at it?" He asked before a shudder worked through him.

Dean nodded, smirking just the smallest bit when he saw his dad shudder. "Yeah, he's gonna run some tests on the twins… make sure they're still healthy and all."

"When did…?" He asked before glancing down the hall to check and make sure Sam was still in the bathroom.

"A couple nights ago while you were at work." Dean answered causing his dad to sigh. "Don't worry, it's not like I'm gonna jump him every time you turn your back now."

"Well, that's a relief." John sighed again and then he smiled softly. "You're a good brother Dean." John certainly wasn't happy that his two boys had had to resort to committing incest but he knew how protective they both were of each other and hopefully that meant that the amount of damage done was minimal.

Dean stared at his dad for a moment before he directed his gaze elsewhere, shifting from one foot to the other. "Yeah well, I guess I'm just awesome like that." He replied trying to not feel too affected by his dad's rare but genuine compliment. _Quite the timing pops_ he thought thinking it was more than a little strange that their dad was having this particular reaction. He had almost expected the silent treatment which was almost as bad as the possible yelling.

John laughed a little as he nodded. His oldest really was an awesome kid and he was damned proud of him… hell, he was damned proud of both of his kids. Both of them had really shown what they were really made of these past several months and over the courses of their entire lives really. He knew that dragging his boys back and forth across the country had not been the most beneficial thing for them and yet, looking at the two fine young men that they were, as Jim had called them so long ago, he knew that they had made it through all right. And if he had screwed up that many times and still had managed to have good kids then he couldn't wait to see what his grandchildren were going to be like.

Dean was a little surprised by his dad's reaction but he decided to go with it, after all their dad not being angry over their actions was one less thing they had to worry about and he would take all of the help that he could get. A few minutes later, Sam emerged into the kitchen. "Thanks for coming," He said softly, smiling shyly at his brother.

Dean nodded, brushing it off. There wasn't anything that would have kept him from being here.

"It's going to work out Sam but just in case there is something son, then we'll deal with it alright." John encouraged, repeating Dean's earlier statements.

Sam's eyes widened in surprise. He quickly glanced at his brother as he took a step back… he had no idea what his dad thought of him now or would say to him. "I'm sorry." He muttered, hoping that the relationship between he and his dad that was being slowly repaired wasn't destroyed now.

"Don't be." John replied when he heard Sam say he was sorry.

Sam looked up, a confused expression on his face causing John to sigh and scrub a hand over his jaw. "I know this wasn't the ideal for any of us but you boys have handled yourselves and the situation pretty amazingly Sam and as a parent, it's not something you ever want to condone but I know that it couldn't have been helped. You boys did good." _Aw, Sammy_ John thought when he saw the tears shining in his youngest son's eyes but before he could say anything further, there was a knocking on the door signaling Steven's arrival. John walked to let him in while Sam and Dean headed into the living room, each taking a seat on the couch.

"That was weird, right?" Dean asked, leaning close to his brother so he could whisper.

Sam nodded. "Definitely." He agreed.

"I'm just called he's not pissed." Dean muttered, dropping the subject as their dad and Steven's footsteps grew nearer.

"Hey boys," Steven said as he walked into the living room, looking them both over and seeing the relieved but confused expressions they were trying to hide.

"Hey doc," Dean greeted, nodding a little at the man silently telling him that their father now knew what had happened. Of course, John had already taken the initiative and had told Steven as soon as he walked inside.

"How have you been feeling lately Sam?" Steven asked, seeing the apprehensive look on the teen's face. He thought that were a number of things for that look to be there but wanted to know which one of them was the number one reason for any discomfort or anxiousness that his patient might have.

Sam shrugged as he lowered his gaze to the carpet. "I just want them to be alright." He answered, leaning closer to Dean when he felt his older brother place a gentle and soothing hand on his lower back.

"Well, we'll do our best." Steven encouraged. "So, why don't you go get changed and I'll meet you in your room so we can get started."

Sam nodded as Dean stood. He was grateful when his brother leaned down and wrapped an arm around him, helping to heave him up. "Thanks," He blushed causing Dean to shake his head and smile softly.

While Dean and Sam headed into their room to get ready, Steven talked to John for a few minutes trying to gather as much background information as he possibly could. As it turned out, the only thing that John could really remember was that both Mary's uncle and grandfather had had heart disease and her dad had died of a heart attack but other than that, there wasn't anything that really stuck out in his mind.

"What do you need me to do?" Sam asked quietly as he sat on his bed dressed in his pajama pants and a plain white shirt.

Steven walked over to the pair and set his medical bag down on the foot of the bed. "Okay, what I'm going to do is take a sample of the amniotic fluid so I just need you to lay back on the bed and pull your shirt up for me."

Sam nodded and removed his shirt before he laid down on the bed. He turned to face his brother, tears shining in his eyes.

Dean grabbed a spare chair from the corner and placed it beside the bed, sitting down and taking his brother's hand in his.

"Close your eyes and try to relax Sam. I'm going to give you something to numb the area but you might feel a small pinch." Steven instructed as he swiped an alcohol rub over a spot on Sam's large, rounded belly. A few moments later he gently poked the area testing it. When Sam answered that he couldn't feel anything, Steven announced that it was time to start.

Sam kept his gaze averted from what Steven was doing knowing that if he watched, he would end up getting freaked out and that wouldn't be all that helpful, now would it? Instead, he watched his brother's comforting smile as Dean talked to him about the babies.

"We came up with names." Dean announced as he quickly glanced over at Steven, sympathetically wincing at the size of the needle in Steven's hand.

"Yeah?" Steven asked as he carefully pierced Sam's skin and gathered a sample of fluid from the first twin's amniotic sac.

Dean nodded. "Yup but ah, it's a surprise so either we tell you and you don't breathe a word of it to anybody else or you wait until they're born… your choice?"

Steven waited a minute before responding as he withdrew the needle from Sam's stomach, emptying the fluid into one of two capsules he'd brought with him. "What do you want Sam, do you want me to know or wait?"

Sam breathed deep as he tried to stay as still on the bed as he could. "Would you mind waiting…? I kind of want to announce them to everybody at once?" He asked.

Steven shook his head. "If that's what you want then I don't mind waiting at all."

Sam smiled gratefully.

"Okay, lay back again." Steven instructed as he grabbed the second needle he'd brought with him, uncapping it and prepping it for use.

Sam nodded and did as Steven asked closing his eyes and letting Dean's gentle touches on the back of his hand help to relax him.

"Okay, we're done." Steven said as he wiped Sam's round belly with a wet washcloth and packed up the medical equipment that he'd brought. "I know I told you that it could take a while but I'm hoping to be able to run it tomorrow… if I'm able to, I'll call you tomorrow night with the results." He explained, glancing in between the brothers.

Sam nodded as he swallowed thickly. "Okay, thanks a lot for coming over." He smiled softly at the man who was his doctor and had become his friend and confidant over the past several months. Sam was a bit relieved to hear that hopefully he wouldn't have to wait long to know the results.

Dean let go of Sam's hand and stood, shaking hands with Steven. "Yeah thanks man… we appreciate it." He said sincerely.

Steven shook his head. "Just doing my job… so Sam, I have to ask since we're getting closer to their arrival here. How have you been feeling besides the normal aches and pains… anything feel off? At all?" He asked, a serious look on his face.

Sam shook his head after a moment. "No, not really… I mean sometimes my back twinges but it's been doing that for a while so… no, I guess there's nothing new to report." He replied.

Steven nodded. "Kay but call me if that changes at all." He switched his gaze to the older brother knowing how seriously Dean took Sam's well being. "Same goes for you, report anything to me… we've made it this far and I don't want anything to risk yours or the twins' health at this point."

Both boys nodded back as they felt the same way.

"'Kay, I'll call you tomorrow." Steven repeated, smiling reassuringly at both Sam and Dean.

Sam nodded, hoping that Steven would call with good news. He watched as his brother walked the doctor out to lock the door behind him. _And now we wait_ he thought remembering just how much he hated waiting.

* * *

Hey! So, how was the chapter? And what's the verdict on John... a little out of character or way, way overboard? Please be honest, just not mean (not that any of you are). I hope you enjoyed reading this and I will try to update as soon as I can granted I'm not swimming in schoolwork :P.


	32. Chapter 32

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter and I hope all of you enjoy it... it's part of one we've been waiting for for a little while. I hope it flows well and the characters come off right. Don't worry, even if this seems like the story is going to end after this, it won't. There's still a little more left to it.

Thank you everybody for reading and reviewing! The amount of people who like this story enough to review it is overwhelming and truly touching... thank you so much for all of your kind words, constructive critism, and warm encouragment! I hope to hear back from all of you! And I promise that the 'Family Matters' update is coming, it's just really slow in the making :P Anyways, thanks again for reading... enjoy! :)

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Sam had been nervously pacing the house all day, cleaning it to near the point where you could eat off the floor like it was your kitchen table. According to the book Dean had bought, this was called 'nesting' but Sam knew that he was also doing it as a way to keep his mind busy as he waited for Steven to call. Sam's incessant cleaning had driven his dad a little crazy but John hadn't commented any further after Sam had nearly bitten his head off when he had suggested Sam take a break and try to rest. Of course, Sam had felt immensely guilty just a few minutes later and cursed his pregnancy hormones when he had gone to his dad apologizing for being such a hormonal jerk. Sam was grateful that his dad had just shrugged it off and said that he understood that Sam was stressed. Now though, the house was absolutely spotless and he couldn't think of anything else to do to try and keep his mind occupied. He didn't want to take a bath fearing that he would be too far away from the phone and he'd miss Steven's call.

Walking into the living room and pulling the blanket off of the couch, Sam decided that maybe a nap would be good. He knew he probably wouldn't fall into a deep sleep since the twins were compressing his bladder right now. Sam placed a hand on his largely swollen stomach as he gently eased himself down on to the couch, covering himself with the blanket. His feet were aching right now and he guessed that it was from the constant walking around that he had done today added to the fact that they were now constantly swollen from the effects of his pregnancy. _Dean won't be happy I wore myself out so hard_ he thought knowing that if it was up to his brother, the only thing that he would be allowed to do all day was sit on the couch until Steven announced that it was time to perform the c-section. Sam shivered a little at the thought of that particular procedure. He was nervous about it since he knew that it wouldn't be performed in a hospital and even with having Steven there, he was worried about what they would do if something went wrong. _What if one of them isn't breathing or has the cord wrapped around their neck?_ Sam thought worriedly. _Steven's a trained professional and this isn't the first time that someone's had a baby in the house instead of the hospital_ he reassured himself. Knowing that it wouldn't do any of them any good if he got worked up and even more stressed then he currently was, he forced himself to let those worries go and rearranged himself on the couch.

Sam reached behind himself to place an extra pillow behind his back, hoping that the pressure would relieve some of the pain in his back. "You two doing alright in there?" He asked, rubbing his stomach tenderly when he felt his twins kick out at him. He smiled softly hoping that the fact that they were able to kick around in there meant that they were healthy and developing normally. "Ow!" He muttered when he felt a twinge in his lower back. He breathed deeply; glad when the momentary spasm passed. He'd been getting those more frequently over the past few days but he had just put it down to him being near the end of his pregnancy. "Don't play too rough in there… daddy's the one you're climbing all over." Sam mumbled as he slid down a little further on the couch and closed his eyes, hoping to catch a little bit of rest.

Almost forty-five minutes later, Sam was woken up when he heard the phone ringing in the kitchen. He struggled to push himself up off of the couch, not wanting to miss it just in case this was Steven calling. _Don't hang up, don't hang up _Sam sighed in relief when he heard his dad pick up the phone.

"Winchester," John answered as he wiped his hands off on a paper towel. He nodded at his son who was looking at him with anxious eyes and a worried look on his face. John was quiet for a few minutes as he listened to Steven explain the results from the tests he had run. He wanted to make sure that he understood exactly what it was that the man had to say should he have to be the bearer of bad news to his son though he was keeping his fingers crossed that he wouldn't have to.

"What'd he say?" Sam asked as soon as his dad had said goodbye to the doctor. He bit his lip in anticipation.

John smiled brightly knowing that this would take a huge load off of both of his son's shoulders as he replaced the phone back on the hanger. "The tests are clear Sam, everything looks good." He reached out a hand when Sam's shoulders began to shake.

Tears of relief filled Sam's eyes and spilled down over his cheeks. "Really? They're… they're really okay?" He asked, both of his hands resting on top of the babies as if he wanted and needed the physical proof that they were still there with him.

John nodded again. "Yeah, Steven said that they passed with flying colors… he didn't see anything concerning in the test results so your main job now is to sit back and relax." He quoted. Smiling reassuringly, John gently pulled Sam in for a hug. He let his son hold onto him until his tremors stopped and Sam stepped back, wiping a hand across his eyes.

Sam couldn't believe that they were that lucky… being a Winchester usually meant that without bad luck, they wouldn't have any luck at all. The fact that this plan of theirs hadn't ended up being a deadly mistake or causing only more heartbreak was quite shocking to him, he had tried to prepare himself for the worst. After everything that he had been through over the last eight, nearly nine months, it was amazing to him to have something turn out the way he wanted it to.

John saw the relief on his son's face and knew how he was feeling. Being told that there might be something wrong with your child, no matter what it might be or how old they had gotten, was always a terrifying feeling. He remembered a time when Dean was just under a year old and had gotten an ear infection… he and Mary had both been incredibly anxious wondering if there was something that they could have done to prevent him from getting sick in the first place and then when this particular adventure had started, seeing Sam's body clench up and seize had very easily rattled him to the core of his being. "I'm glad they're okay Sam." He offered, wanting Sam to know that he understood his fears and worries. Those were his grandchildren after all.

Sam nodded, sniffling a little. "Yeah, me too." Sam glanced at the clock urging Dean to get home. He wanted to share the good news with him.

~DW/SW~

Sam was lying on the bed, propped up by some pillows supporting his back as he received his now nightly massage from Dean. He smiled and closed his eyes, relaxing as Dean tried to soothe his aching muscles. "Feels good." Sam said quietly as Dean worked his way from Sam's toes and swollen feet and up to the rest of his legs before going back down again.

"So, it's good news." Dean repeated as he tentatively reached out with one hand to place it on his brother's distended stomach before he continued rubbing Sam's swollen calves.

Sam nodded. "The best." He smiled back. It didn't feel so weird to him any more when Dean would touch his stomach at random moments. Instead, he found that he surprisingly liked it. It helped to reassure him that Dean was happy about this and that the twins would be loved by the rest of his family and not looked at like a job or an inconvenience.

"Yeah, it is." Sam had practically pounced on him the moment he'd walked in the front door with tears streaming down his cheeks. Dean had originally thought that something was drastically wrong until he saw that his dad and brother were wearing matching smiles. The utter relief he'd felt when Sam had told him that the twins were healthy had been palpable.

Carefully, Dean pushed his brother's shirt up and slid up the bed until his face was level with the mound of Sam's stomach. Gently, Dean reached out a hand and began to rub soft, soothing circles on the tightly stretched skin. He smiled when he felt the twins movements increase.

"Thanks," Sam mumbled sarcastically when the twins woke under Dean's attention.

Dean let out a small laugh. "I'll get 'em back to sleep soon… just wanted to say hi." He explained before he began talking to Sam's stomach. "Hey guys," He said softly. "Your daddy and I got some good news today… you're both healthy but we have to keep it that way so I know you guys want to get out of there and show us just what you're made of but you gotta wait just a little while longer. Trust me, we're anxious to meet you guys too but I want you guys to be in top-shape when I do. It's not too much longer though…" Dean drifted off as he realized just how close they were to having two live newborn babies to feed, change, and care for. The idea was still crazy to him at times, especially when he saw that his baby now held two infant car seats. That was a sight he never thought he'd see. "Well, as exciting as today was you two and your daddy need your sleep so good night you two." He smiled softly when he realized that Sam was already asleep. The stillness of Sam's stomach indicated that the twins were sleeping too. Dean smiled softly as he curled himself around Sam, keeping an arm placed protectively around his family.

~DW/SW~

The next afternoon was a Saturday and neither John nor Dean had work that day. It was nice and yet a little odd to have all three Winchesters home for the day. Of course it worked to Sam's benefit as he now had both of them to run his demands for him.

"Okay, thanks for the offer. I'll call you back once I've talked to them." John said from the kitchen before he hung up the phone. A moment later, he walked into the living room where he knew Sam and Dean were hanging out.

"What'd Jim say?" Dean asked, not looking away from the TV as his hand continued to lightly trail over the top of Sam's foot that was resting in his lap.

"He wanted to invite us to Thanksgiving, said it was about time we did that." John explained rubbing a hand over his face as he glanced over at Sam who was curled up on the couch, tucked underneath a blanket, his lower legs and feet resting on Dean's lap. Sam, it seemed, was getting shyer the closer it got to his due date and John wasn't completely sure that his son would be up for a gathering like that right now.

Dean nodded thoughtfully. The last true Thanksgiving he remembered was the last one they'd had before their mom had died. Sammy hadn't been born yet but he remembered how his mom had made him get dressed in an itchy dress shirt and nice pants that he couldn't play in before they went over to his dad's business partner's house. The rest of it was kind of fuzzy but he remembered a sense of belonging from that day. "I think we should go." He said suddenly.

John quirked a brow at Dean before he switched back to watch Sam as his son squirmed around a bit. "What do you think Sammy? You think you're up for it?" He asked not wanting anything to stress his son out at this point, not when they only had a few weeks left.

Sam bit his lip as he shifted on the couch trying once again to get comfortable. That seemed to be an increasingly impossible accomplishment. "Um, yeah… I ah yeah…" He nodded, surprising his dad. "I'd like that." Sam smiled as he placed a hand on his stomach, imagining what Thanksgiving next year might be like. The twins would be almost a year old and who knew what other changes there would be. One thing that Sam did know was that he wanted his children to be able to experience as normal a life as possible… Thanksgivings with the family included.

John nodded as he stood to go call Jim back telling him that yeah, he could expect the three of them there.

~DW/SW~

A few days later, Sam stood in his and Dean's room getting ready to head over to Jim's house for Thanksgiving dinner. He didn't want to be mean but he was hoping that they wouldn't be there too late. He was really tired and his entire body just felt off. The skin on his stomach was red and itchy despite how many times Dean massaged it with the cocoa-butter lotion that had worked for the majority of his pregnancy. He hadn't been able to wear anything but slippers for the past couple of weeks as his feet were way too swollen to slip into any pairs of shoes he might own, let alone the boots that he usually wore. His back felt completely out of shape and sleeping had become something of the past it would seem. His emotions were at the extremes causing him to start to sob if a puppy on the TV seemed sad or furious if his dad or brother left dirty plates or clothes lying around. And that wasn't to forget his constant visits to the bathroom now. All in all, he couldn't wait for this to be over.

_Soon_ he told himself as he pulled his shirt up seeing his protruding stomach and he smiled when his son kicked out allowing Sam to see the outline of his little foot. Gently, he placed his fingers against the area trying to soothe the children inside him. "Happy Thanksgiving my baby boy and to you too sweetheart." He said just before he heard a knock on the door. "Yeah?" He called out.

"Dad says that he'll be ready to leave in five, does that work for you?" Dean asked as he opened the door and leaned against the frame.

Sam nodded as he grabbed the oversized sweatshirt from off of the bed. "Yeah," He replied patting his stomach gently.

Dean smiled softly at his brother. "The monsters behaving themselves?" He asked, smirking as he walked over to Sam.

"Only if you count abusing me as being well-behaved." Sam responded groaning against the tight feeling of his stretched skin.

Dean quirked a brow as he studied his brother. He knew Sam hadn't been sleeping well lately and that the twins were making him incredibly uncomfortable. He should know after all as he was the one who stayed up late with Sam, rubbing his back and stomach trying to soothe the three of them so that Sam could get some rest. "You sure you're okay going? I mean, if you're too tired or something they'll understand." He reassured wanting to make sure that Sam wasn't going to tire himself out unnecessarily.

Sam shook his head. "No, I'll be okay. I mean, I'll probably just sit on Jim's couch the whole time." Sam answered even as he was a little nervous about going. Laura was going to be there and he didn't know how she would react to him; hell, he didn't know how he was going to react to her.

Dean nodded as he didn't mind running kitchen requests for his brother or getting anything else that the pregnant teenager might need.

"Boys, ya ready?" John called from down the hall.

Dean glanced at his brother who nodded. "Yeah, we're coming!" He shouted back. "You heard him, let's go." Dean said as he followed Sam out to the kitchen, taking the twelve-pack of beer his dad handed him. "Ya sure you don't want me to carry that?" Dean asked, smirking as he indicated the delicious smelling dish his dad was holding.

John laughed and shook his head. "If you carry it there won't be any left by the time we get to Jim's." He replied moving the hot plate out of Dean's reach. Eight months ago, he would have thought that the beer would have disappeared too if left with Dean but his son had changed and if possible, had become even more responsible than he used to be. John highly doubted that Dean was going to get drunk tonight, not with him being on hyper alert for any indication that the twins were coming. All three of them knew that multiples usually arrived a little early and since Sam was only about two and a half weeks away from his due date, John thought that it was quite possible that they would be meeting the newest members of the Winchester clan sometime soon… sometime very soon.

~DW/SW~

Sam walked slowly up the steps of Jim's house followed by his dad and brother. He held on tightly to the banister while his other hand supported his heavy bump as he was careful to not slip and fall. His back and legs were killing him today and he couldn't wait to go sit on Jim's couch. Dean was following directly behind him with one hand placed on the small of Sam's back ensuring the both of them that Sam made it safely up the slippery steps. Sam was wearing an oversized sweatshirt, hoping that it would help disguise just how big he had gotten. He knew that Jim, Steven, Josh, Bobby, and Caleb were all used to the sight of his pregnant belly by now but apparently, Laura was coming and he knew that she would be shocked by the sight of it. He didn't know who wouldn't be.

Pulling open Jim's screen door, Sam walked inside the house grateful that the heater was on. It was colder than fuck outside and he was glad to be out of the snow. "Hey," He smiled shyly when he saw Caleb and Bobby standing in the living room. They both moved out of the way to let Sam get to the couch.

"How ya feeling?" Caleb asked as he observed the slow and pronounced waddle the kid had now. Sam looked like he had put on even more weight since the last time he'd seen him a little under a month ago. Caleb thought it was both fairly ridiculous and somewhat amazing that they had been able to reach this point with everybody in relatively okay condition.

Sam shook his head. "It's more fun to be thrown around by a pissed off spirit." He replied as he sank back into the couch cushions, letting out a relieved breath that he was off of his feet. He wasn't sure where Laura was but he was kind of glad that she wasn't in the living room. It let him get a bit of a breather before he had to face her. He knew Steven hadn't told her about any of the details of any of the things that he had been required to do or experience over the recent months and weeks but still, he was sure it was going to be awkward.

Both Caleb and Bobby grimaced in sympathy as they both knew just how little fun that activity actually was. Bobby headed into the kitchen a moment later to see if he could be of any help while Caleb headed for the couch to try and keep Sam entertained for the time being.

"Sam?" Caleb and Sam paused in their conversation about ten minutes later when they heard the female and somewhat hesitant voice behind them. Dean who had been piling the beers that they had brought into the ice chest by the back door paused too.

Sam turned around as well as he could and licked his lips nervously when he spotted Laura standing in the doorway. "Um, hey…" He replied shyly before he noticed that she looked to be a bit teary-eyed. _Oh no_ he thought knowing that if she started crying then he was more than likely going to be a lost cause. Sam self-consciously pulled on his sweatshirt trying to get it to cover more of his stomach.

Laura didn't say anything as she walked over to the couch taking the spot that Caleb had just vacated, not really wanting to be caught in the middle of this. Sam watched her sit down and how her eyes trailed over him making him feel very self-conscious. He blushed when her gaze stopped on his stomach and he turned away, looking at anything but her.

"Wow, look at you… I didn't… I mean, I don't believe it." She said, stumbling over her words. There was wonder and awe in her voice. Her eyes raked over Sam's pregnant form and though the sweatshirt added some bulk for him to hide behind, if you knew the situation it was easy to tell that there were two babies under it and not a beer gut.

Sam huffed. "Sometimes I don't either." He mumbled softly, not really meaning for her to hear it.

"Are… are you okay?" Laura asked as her eyes darted back up to his face. When her dad had told her that Sam was indeed still alive, she had been shocked and to see that he wasn't a pasty thing who looked like he was about to keel over was not what she had been expecting. Laura had been sure that when all of this had started that there was no way Sam was going to make it out of this alive, nobody else had so why would he? Laura wasn't exactly positive what had happened to allow for that to happen even though her dad had explained the possession to her. Originally, she'd found that to be a bit hard to believe but looking at a very, very pregnant and yet definitely male Sam Winchester… possessions didn't seem so farfetched.

Sam shrugged but nodded a moment later. "Yeah, I'm okay." He answered as he bit his lip again not wanting to get into all of the emotional and bodily changes he had gone through. He wasn't sure what to say now.

Laura nodded with a small smile on her face. "Good, I'm glad to hear that… I was worried about you." She explained genuinely.

Sam smiled softly, touched by that. "How have you been?" He asked turning the conversation away from himself.

"I'm glad to be back with dad… my mom can be a bit controlling but it's annoying to have to start a new school again."

Sam nodded even as he thought that he would kill for that to be the most annoying thing to be going through. Nine months of morning sickness, back aches, and just generally being uncomfortable had taught him to appreciate what he had. "You're um… you guys are sticking 'round here, right?" He asked causing Laura to nod.

"Yeah, dad bought a little apartment in town since it's just the two of us. But hey, at least we'll both know somebody at school." She smiled at him even as her eyes kept drifting to Sam's rounded stomach.

"Yeah, we'll see…" Sam drifted off, unsure of what exactly he was going to do with his schooling after the twins were born. Truth be told, with having the demon-angel to contend with, he hadn't thought all that much about it but he was sort of hoping to graduate early. He figured a college schedule would be easier to manage with the twins time wise than a high school set up. Of course, the fact that he had missed that last two semesters didn't really bode well for early graduation. "Ooof…" He grunted when he felt a sharp kick to his ribs.

Laura's eyes widened as she watched him rub the swollen skin. "Isn't it weird?" She asked not knowing how in the world Sam was dealing with all of this. Her dad had sat her down the day after she had returned from her mom's and told her that demons were real and they were the reason that he had been attacking young men for the past two years. She hadn't wanted to believe him but the sincerity that had shown on her father's face proved he wasn't lying about this. Still, she had a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that her male friend was nearly nine months pregnant and that a creature that she had thought all her life to be fake and only existed in theory was the cause of it. It felt like something out of a tabloid rather than her actual life.

Sam smiled softly. "No, not really… I mean, it was at first but now… I don't know, I think it's nice." He answered doubting that she would know what he meant.

Laura nodded. "Can um… can I?" She asked as she hesitantly reached a hand forward towards Sam's stomach.

Sam bit his lip, unsure if he wanted someone else to touch him but after a moment he nodded and pulled his shirt up a little. "Here," He took her hand and placed it on the left side of his belly where his daughter was currently moving around a little. "Wait a minute." He instructed when there wasn't any movement and sure enough, just a few minutes later there was a powerful punch. He laughed a little bit at the shocked look on her face.

"Wow… that's… that's wow…" Laura drifted off, seemingly speechless. Her hand fell away a moment later.

~DW/SW~

Dean stood in the entryway to the living room, watching his brother and Laura interact for the first time in almost a year. He was a bit surprised at the jealousy he felt when Sam let her put a hand on his stomach but blamed it on the fact that Sam was his brother and those babies were his son and daughter. It was his freakin' right to be protective over them! Dean was actually surprised that Sam had agreed to letting Laura feel the twin's movements, especially considering how shy Sam had gotten in the past week or two. "Hey Sammy," He said as he walked over to the couch, stopping in front of his brother. "You want some hot chocolate?" He asked.

Sam smiled and nodded. "Yes please!" He replied excitedly.

Dean laughed as he glanced between the two teenagers evaluating the situation as he wanted to make sure that Sam wasn't feeling overwhelmed or whatnot. "Kay, I'll bring you a cup in a couple of minutes." Dean answered even as he gave Laura a subtle but protective glance. _Be careful with him_ he thought.

~DW/SW~

About an hour later, the turkey had been carved and now Dean was sitting on the couch beside his brother with Laura on his other side. Their dad, Steven, Jim, Bobby, Josh, and Caleb were all sitting in chairs or on the floor in the living room. All of the hunters were careful to keep on neutral topics so as to not freak the newcomer out… with Sam's pregnant belly on display, they figured it was best to keep the amount of shocks limited. Because yeah sure while Steven had told his daughter that he had been possessed and that was the reason why Sam was able to do something that would have otherwise been impossible, they didn't think the girl needed a crash course lesson on their world.

Sam sighed annoyed as he reached forward to put his plate half full with turkey, mashed potatoes, carrots, peas, and stuffing on the coffee table. "Excuse me," He huffed as he struggled to push himself up, a self-conscious blush rapidly filling him. This was third time since they'd gotten there that he'd needed to visit the restroom. Seeing his brother struggle, Dean smiled softly and reached out to help Sam stand.

"Thanks," Sam mumbled before he waddled down the hall.

Dean shook his head silently telling his brother not to worry about it before returning to the conversation as his family and friends debated cars and sports. _What do you know, we're white picket fence_ he thought to himself, surprised to feel satisfied at having and being able to provide such a thing. It was amazing how much had changed since last April.

~DW/SW~

When Sam returned to the living room a few minutes later, there were two gift bags waiting on the coffee table for him. He turned and looked around the room trying to figure out who they were from.

"They're from me." Laura offered, smiling softly when she saw the surprised look on Sam's face. "I hope you like 'em."

Sam smiled back and nodded as he took a seat, leaning against Dean's side. He reached forward and grabbed them setting the two bags in his lap. Upon opening the first one, he saw that it contained a pink polka-dotted fleece blanket with a lamb on it. There was also a cute long sleeved dress that was brown and pink and had hearts on it. Sam smiled tearfully as he carefully folded the dress and blanket back up. "Thank you." He said sincerely, excited that the dress and blanket hadn't been duplicates of things that his family had already bought for him.

Laura smiled. "I'm glad you like it."

Sam nodded and then opened the gift that was presumably for his son, if the blue and green gift bag with lions and elephants on it was any indication. Sam's tears started to trickle down when he pulled out the extra soft fleece blue and brown striped blanket that had a monkey sewn onto the corner of it. He sniffled before he looked at Dean who smiled softly at him.

Dean reached over and wrapped one arm around Sam's waist, tenderly rubbing the side of Sam's stomach in a show of comfort and support. "Thank you," He told Laura watching as Sam also pulled out the small stuffed animal puppy. He knew that at this point his brother was probably too teary-eyed to speak right now.

Laura shook her head as she reached over to give Sam a small, quick hug. "Congratulations." She whispered, glad when Sam hugged her back.

"Thank you." He repeated. He was glad that she seemed happy for him and wasn't having a melt down at the fact that he was keeping the twins… he didn't think he could have dealt with that right now. He thought that maybe with his current emotional instability, he might have taken her head off for suggesting otherwise. _And remember the time when you thought you'd want to leave_ Sam thought to himself. While Sam still wasn't sure he was going to be the best parent or even an okay dad but he felt like he had to try and who knows, maybe with Dean and their dad supporting him, maybe he could do it.

Looking around the room at all the people who had supported and protected him throughout the past eight and a half months, Sam felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Leaning against Dean and holding the gifts from Laura close to him, Sam began to thank his friends. "I just… I want all of you to know how much I appreciate everything you all have done for me… for us. You guys are the best and I'm truly grateful that my son and daughter will get to be raised knowing all of you." He quickly moved to wipe his tears away and then laid his head on Dean's shoulder tiredly.

"Don't thank us for anything Sam, you're part of this family too." Jim said, speaking on behalf of the group.

Sam smiled warmly at Jim before he yawned a moment later, drawing both their dad's and Dean's attention to the time.

Dean looked at his brother questioningly who nodded. Sam knew what Dean was asking him and yeah, as much fun as he had had tonight, he felt like he could be ready to head back home. "Well, I think we'd better hit the road." Dean said as he slapped his hands against his knees before he stood.

John nodded in agreement knowing that Dean had probably sensed that Sam was tired and had had enough excitement for one night. "Thanks for playing host." He smiled as he hugged his old friend.

"Glad you three could make it." Jim smiled back as he hugged each Winchester goodbye before handing John a big bag full of different leftovers. They bid goodnight to the rest of their friends and then Dean carefully helped guide his brother down the snow covered steps.

~DW/SW~

Once they were home, Dean and Sam went to go get their pajamas on and John started stocking the fridge with the extra food Jim had given them. Dean entered the kitchen a few minutes later, snagging the half full pie box out of the refrigerator. "What?" He asked when his dad looked at him with a raised eyebrow. John just laughed and shook his head, smiling when Sam entered the room.

"Ya tired?" He asked sympathetically when Sam yawned again.

Sam nodded and proceeded to waddle over to the kitchen table. Just as he went to sit down, his eyes went large and he let out a loud, pain-filled groan. Both Dean and John jumped up and rushed to aid their youngest when they saw Sam pause and reach out blindly for the back of one of the chairs, his face twisted in a grimace.

"Sammy, you okay?" Dean asked as he wrapped steadying arms around his brother feeling Sam cling to him.

Sam shook his head as he felt the sweatpants he was wearing grow wet. "I think my water just broke." Fear and confusion was evident in his voice.

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Hey, how was the chapter? I hope you all enjoyed it. Thank you so much for reading and I look forward to hearing from all of you! I'll try to update soon as I've already started on the next chapter. Thanks again! :)


	33. Chapter 33

Hey guys! So here it is... the big moment :D I hope everybody likes this chapter and that it isn't too long. It's 15 pages long and over 7,000 words... hopefully that it isn't annoying :P

Thanks for all of your reviews! I really enjoy getting them and knowing what you guys think of this story! :D I know there's some stuff in this chapter that doesn't really get dealt with but I felt like I should end it so all of that will be included in the next one.

Oh, and I wanted to say this last time but I totally forget. Congrats to us (the fandom) on a season 6!!!! YAY! And then congrats to Jared and Gen... I hope you guys are happy! Okay, go enjoy the chapter please :)

* * *

Dean's grip on Sam's waist tightened as he looked down and noted the wet spot forming on his brother's crotch staining his light gray sweatpants a darker color. "Okay Sammy, it's gonna be okay." He reassured all the while thinking _how the hell is this even possible?_ Dean could feel Sam trembling against him and realized that it was up to him to get things moving. "Come on, let's get you into bed." Dean instructed when he heard their dad on the phone with Steven, not even aware of the innuendo he had used.

Sam who seemed to be in a numb and unresponsive state of shock simply nodded and followed Dean to lead him to their room as he silently freaked out. It wasn't the twinge of pain that had him freaking out though that had been rather unpleasant. No, it was feeling a sudden rush of liquid run down his legs even though he knew that he hadn't just wet himself like a little kid who wasn't potty trained yet. _I didn't think I was supposed to be able to do that_ Sam thought freaked out by the apparent things his body could do now. It was just one more example of him feeling like an alien inside his own body.

Upon entering their room, Dean got his brother seated on the edge of the bed and then hurriedly searched for a clean pair of pajama pants for Sam. "Here, let's get these on you." He was on autopilot right now because if he paused to think about this then he knew that he would freak out and that was so beyond not what they needed right now.

Sam allowed Dean to slip his soiled pants off of him and get the new pair on him before he lay back on the bed, still not having said a single word.

"Sammy, man, say something." Dean pleaded as he sat back on his hunches observing his brother. When Sam remained quiet, Dean got up and leaned over his brother seeing the tears on Sam's cheeks. "Sam," He started but drifted off, not knowing what else he could say that would make this situation seem any less horrible.

Sam sniffled before his face crumpled completely, sobs making his shoulders shake. "I'm scared." He admitted as he rubbed his large belly. He hadn't felt another contraction since his water broke a few minutes ago and he was nervously awaiting the next one.

_I don't blame you_ Dean thought as he climbed onto the bed with Sam and curled himself around the frightened teenager. "Shh, it's gonna be alright." Dean promised as his hand joined Sam's, rubbing the swollen skin gently. Dean sighed sympathetically when he felt how hard the normally soft and fleshy mound was. "I'm gonna be right here with you okay? And Steven's on his way, this'll work out, you'll see." God, Dean hoped he wasn't lying.

Sam sniffled as he drew a deep breath and closed his eyes, feeling his stomach muscles begin to tighten again. He groaned, shifting on the bed as he pushed back against his brother's chest trying to somehow escape the pain he was suddenly in.

"Shh, just take deep breaths Sammy, it'll be alright," Dean coached as he continued to rub Sam's stomach, trying to bring some comfort to his brother as he whispered in his ear.

Sam did as Dean said letting out a relieved sigh when the contraction passed.

Dean was about to ask his brother how painful that one had been when the door opened and their dad walked in. "Steven's on his way here now," John explained as he walked over to the bed where his two sons lay. "He says he'll be here in fifteen."

Sam nodded even though he wished that Steven was there now to tell him just how the hell he was going through labor when he didn't have a frickin' vagina! Sam had never felt more like a freak than he did right now and over the past eight and a half months, he had felt like a freak quite often.

"I think you should rest Sam. It'll probably be a while before anything really happens and it's best to save your strength now." John advised, talking from experience having gone through labor twice with Mary. He sighed anxiously when he saw how worried and stressed out his son looked knowing that apart from just trying to make Sam be as comfortable as possible, there was very little they could actually do for him.

Sam gulped nervously before he turned his head a little to look at his brother. "Will you stay with me?" He asked sounding scared.

Dean instantly nodded. "Course I'm staying." He answered before he shifted a little, pulling Sam closer to him. There was no way in hell he was leaving his brother on a good day but with Sam apparently in labor, well you might as well consider him super-glued to the kid's side.

Sam sniffled again and tried to let his big brother's presence comfort him. He wasn't in too much pain yet but he was anxious beyond belief about how things would go from here and what the end result would be like. He had no idea how this was happening or if he could even do it… he'd seen women in labor before on different TV shows and the amount of pain that they looked to be in, he wasn't looking forward to that.

"Close your eyes." Dean instructed before he started humming one of his classic rock songs, trying to both distract and relax his brother. He could see the wheels turning in Sam's head and he was sure that the things Sam was thinking about weren't anything that could be considered a good thing.

Sam nodded and let his eyes close though he doubted that he was going to fall asleep… he was way too nervous for such a thing.

Seeing that Sam had done as he had asked, Dean laid back on the bed, holding Sam protectively close to him as his hands gently rubbed the stretched skin. He knew that Sam wasn't asleep but he figured that since he wasn't tensing up at the moment, it was best to just let him try and relax in his own way. It was better than getting into an argument over sleeping schedules.

As his hands rubbed over the swollen skin, Dean's own thoughts began to collide with one another. He forced down his panic though knowing that he had to be there for Sam before anything else. Dean couldn't believe it though, he couldn't believe that this was really happening… that by this time tomorrow night, he was gonna be a dad/uncle! It scared the living shit out of him but he was also excited, he just hoped that they would be able to bring Sam and the babies through it successfully. He wasn't quite sure what he would do if any of the three of them ended up not being okay. _Not an option_ he thought, clenching his teeth together in his seriousness about his head, Dean saw that their dad had returned out to the living room, presumably to wait for Steven and his eyes narrowed in on the window sills making sure that they were each lined with salt. He didn't know if any demon was planning a visit tonight but he knew that it was something they had to be prepared for as it seemed like optimal timing, especially since none of them had come by since the fallen angel had been vanquished. Sam was going to be in a very vulnerable position through this next phase and all of them were going to be distracted with the birth… yeah, talk about a set up!

~DW/SW~

A little while later, there was a knocking on the door before John stepped into the room followed by Steven, neither having waited to be let in.

"Hey guys," Steven said as he made his way over to the bed, his calm voice hiding the anxiousness that he was feeling. He wasn't feeling anxious about the delivery, oh no… he'd been an OBGYN for far too long to be scared off by that. No, it was the fact that the patient who was about to give birth was male… he had no explanation for just how in the hell the pregnant teenager lying on the bed was experiencing labor! _Has there really been much of a logical explanation for any of this?_ Steven asked himself knowing that the answer to that was no.

Dean sat up a little and helped Sam to do the same as Steven closed the door behind himself, giving the four of them some privacy. "Dad," Dean mouthed as he sat behind Sam, glad that the kid couldn't see him. His brother had enough going on right now without any extra worries being tossed in. Seeing that he had his dad's attention, Dean tilted his head towards the window and mouthed 'we gotta be ready'. He felt relieved when their dad nodded, knowing that he had gotten the message.

John stood off to the side of the bed, unsure exactly if Sam was okay with him being in the room but at the same time, wanting to be there for his boys. Having gotten Dean's silent warning, he casually checked the windowsill only to find that the salt line was still in place and suddenly, he was glad that they had a full house tonight. Jim, Bobby, Caleb, Josh, and even Laura were all waiting out in the living room having followed Steven from Jim's place.

"Hey," Dean greeted nervously before he ran one hand through his short hair, the other staying around Sam's waist.

"So your dad said your water broke Sam… about twenty minutes ago," Steven started causing Sam to nod.

"How is that even possible?" Sam asked with big, wide scared eyes. "I thought you said that… that I didn't have a birthing canal or whatever so… it's impossible right?"

Steven sighed as he took a seat at the end of the bed, trying to figure out how he could explain to Sam that apparently that wasn't the case anymore. "I know I told you that it was highly unlikely that you would be able to have these two naturally… I guess I was wrong." He admitted.

Sam shook his head, tears gathering in his eyes. "But… but how can I? I don't," Sam was cut off by the start of another contraction. His back arched and his eyes closed as he gasped. "Oh God…" He groaned.

Dean quickly put his arms around his brother trying to soothe him any way he could. "It'll be over in a minute… just try to relax and it'll be okay." He coached softly seeing that Steven had come closer and was now standing at the foot of the bed, holding a folded up hospital gown in his hands.

When the contraction ended and Sam was resting back against his brother's chest and the pillows, Steven approached them. "I think it'd be best if you changed into this, it'll make it easier to do checks and for when it's time to push." Steven said setting the gown on the bed and nodding at Dean, trusting the older brother to help Sam into it before he left the room with John.

~DW/SW~

John and Steven walked out into the living room, seeing all of their friends gathered around in the living room eagerly waiting for any news. "Is he really in labor?" Caleb asked with his gaze laser focused on Steven.

Steven sighed and nodded. "I haven't checked him yet to see if he's dilated any but judging by the contraction he just had, I'd say yeah… Sam's in labor."

"Crap," Was Caleb's only response causing John to smirk and nod.

"That's one way of putting it." John agreed before he sobered up. "Maybe I'm being paranoid here but I think we have to be prepared for anything." He said stressing the last word. John glanced at the young girl in the room and felt bad that she had to be introduced to this world in such a harried fashion but he was willing to risk her innocence when his son and grandchildren's welfare was at stake. Besides with everything that had happened, he was sure she was aware that humans were no longer the only creatures on the planet.

Josh stood and walked to the front door, pausing with his hand on the doorknob. "I'll go get the guns." He said before he headed out to his truck to load up on ammo.

"You and Dean concentrate on Sam and we'll take care of any scum that drops by." Bobby promised as he played with his customary ball cap.

John nodded and watched as his friends began to scope out the house, making sure every piece of protection and armor they had was in its proper place.

"What can I do to help?" Laura asked approaching John after the room had cleared out to just the two of them.

"Um…" John drifted off, unsure of what job he could assign her; he wasn't quite sure what she could be useful at. "I'll get back to you on that." He said before he turned back down the hall figuring that when they had a moment, if they got a break at all during this, then maybe Steven could find something for his daughter to do. _Feels like friggin' daycare_ John silently grumbled forgetting the fact that by tomorrow, his house technically would be.

~DW/SW~

Back in Sam and Dean's room, Sam's eyes were wide with fear and he whimpered at Steven's mention of him having to push the two unborn babies out of him. _Oh God_ he thought, tears making their way down his cheeks again. "Dean," He shook his head as he fisted the covers that Dean had pulled over him.

Dean saw the tears on his brother's face and moved to wipe them away. "You can do this alright, you can… I know it." He encouraged trying to breathe some confidence into his brother. "Here, let's get this on you so Steven can come back in here." Dean helped Sam sit up on the bed and removed his brother's obscenely stretched out t-shirt. He smiled softly as he slipped the gown onto Sam, tying it in the back before he removed the sweatpants he'd helped Sam into only a few moments ago. Dean was surprised at how easy it was to ignore any awkwardness that came up with helping his brother to get dressed.

"Thanks," Sam smiled tearfully up at his big brother. He was so glad Dean was there with him, taking the reins and being the one in charge. Sam felt absolutely terrified at the moment and completely out of his depth with the knowledge that he was apparently going to give birth the old fashioned way. He also felt a bit embarrassed to be so exposed in the backless gown but figured that was just the start of his embarrassment today.

"Don't mention it." Dean replied. "I'll go get Steven, be back in just a sec."

Sam nodded, fearful eyes watching as Dean briefly left the room before his face twisted into a grimace again. He let go of the covers and brought his hands to his stomach, rubbing the skin as he turned to lie on his side.

Dean, Steven, and John returned to the room, their paces quickening when they realized that Sam was caught in the middle of another contraction. Dean hurried over to his brother and crouched down in front of him, gently palming Sam's cheek. "Shh, it'll be alright." He cooed looking at Steven for further instruction.

Sam swallowed thickly before he nodded, his stomach muscles finally letting up. Tiredly, he laid back on the bed, closing his eyes in temporary relief. "That one hurt." He said tearfully when he felt Dean run a light hand over his hair.

_I'm so sorry Sammy_ Dean thought to himself wishing that Sam didn't have to go through this.

"Sam," Steven spoke up drawing all of the Winchester's gazes back to him. "I want to see how far dilated you are. It might feel a little strange but just stay still and I'll be done before you know it."

Sam nodded but remained silent as he locked eyes with Dean, much like when Steven had preformed the genetic tests. Dean reached out his free hand and gently tangled his and Sam's fingers together, his thumb rubbing lightly over the back of it. John had silently made his way out of the room, not really wanting to be present for that part. At this point, he figured he'd be in and out of the room all night.

"Raise your legs for me and bend them at the knees with your feet flat on the bed." Steven instructed waiting for Sam to do so. Once Sam's feet were firmly planted on the mattress, Steven lifted the blanket that covered Sam's lower half and gently checked Sam's opening. He sighed when he realized that they were in for a long, long night. "You're two centimeters dilated so there's still a while to go." Steven informed them as he recovered his patient with the blanket.

Sam groaned in annoyance when he heard that he still had eight centimeters to go before anything would even really happen.

"I suggest you try to get some sleep now. I'll check on you in a bit." Steven said, unknowingly repeating John's earlier advice.

Sam nodded. "Okay," He said softly before he turned to look at his brother who nodded back at him and climbed onto the bed.

"You heard the doc Sammy, time to rest." Dean gently ordered as he fit himself behind his brother on the bed.

"Just don't leave me." Sam replied taking Dean's hand in his own and holding on tightly.

"Never," Dean promised, squeezing back just as hard. He waited until he heard Sam's breathing even out, telling him that the kid had managed to fall asleep, before he turned to watch the window. He was determined that nothing was going to get to Sam or their son or daughter tonight.

~DW/SW~

Ten hours had passed and it was now a little after six-thirty in the morning. Sam had dilated four more centimeters and he was exhausted, much like everyone else in the house but Dean was sure that Sam won first prize on that. His contractions were continually getting stronger and lasting for longer lengths of time. Dean knew that if they were in the hospital then Sam could probably have an epidural or something to help manage the pain but as it were, they were really limited in options on that and Dean and Steven were left to try and help Sam manage his pain in other ways.

Laura, as well as the rest of their friends, had been up all night too, making coffee for everyone and doing small chores so that the rest of them could focus on getting Sam through the labor and making sure that the house stayed safe. Originally Dean had thought that she might end up just being in the way but she was proving her worth as a member of their team. Jim, Josh, Caleb, and Bobby as well as their dad were doing continual checks around the house and the close proximity of the yard making sure that no uninvited guests showed up.

"Thanks," Dean mumbled as he accepted the fresh cup of coffee from Laura. He took a sip and then set it on the nightstand so he would be ready for the next time his brother needed him. Glancing out the window, he watched the rain pour down in buckets outside and sighed tiredly wondering just how much more of this they had to take.

It had started raining a few hours ago and that only added to the chaotic urgency that was filtering through the house. There hadn't been any sign of unwanted visitors but all of them knew that that didn't really mean anything. Just because the coast looked clear didn't mean that it actually was.

"You wanna try walking around a little or a soak in the tub?" Dean asked as he rubbed his brother's lower back, stifling a yawn. Sam was lying on his side facing away from Dean and trembling from the amount of pain he was in. The more intense his contractions got, the less talkative Sam became and Dean knew from the blush that was on Sam's cheeks that his brother was also feeling very self-conscious right now. Steven had also explained to them that since Sam's body wasn't built the same way as a woman's, his body wasn't fully prepared to deliver these twins and as a result, the dilation process was excruciatingly painful as Sam's hips and pelvis slowly adjusted for something that they weren't made to do. When Dean had asked if they could still do a c-section, Steven had said yes but surprisingly Sam had asked if that could be their last resort. At Sam's request, Sam, Dean, and Steven had become the room's only occupants excluding Laura's small trips to deliver coffee and whatever else one of them needed.

Sam nodded, biting his lip a little. "Okay," Slowly, he pulled the blanket off of himself and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, standing with Dean's help on shaky legs.

Dean nodded and walked around to the other side of the bed. "I've got ya," Dean reassured as he placed his hands on Sam's hips and letting his brother lean almost all of his weight on him.

Sam looped his arms around Dean's neck and rested his forehead against Dean's shoulder, groaning loudly as another contraction started up.

"Okay, you're okay," Dean comforted whispering softly to his brother practicing the breathing techniques he had read about hoping that Sam would follow his lead. Dean began to gently knead the muscles in his brother's lower back trying to be at least a little helpful.

"God…" Sam cried out in a pained and frustrated voice.

"You wanna go back to bed?" Dean asked, trying to think of anything to help make Sam feel even the slightest bit better. Seeing how exhausted Sam was, Dean started to think that maybe walking around wasn't the best idea.

Sam shook his head. "I'm tired of being in bed." He complained.

"Okay," Dean repeated and the two of them slowly started to pace across the floor of the bedroom. They were on their third lap around the room when Sam cried out and squeezed Dean's biceps so hard that Dean had to bite back his own pained groan knowing that that would not go over well with Sam right now.

Sam's knees almost buckled as he bent over as much as he could. He was panting heavily as his muscles clenched painfully. "Back to bed…" Sam requested in a tired voice. When he raised his head to look at Dean, there were black circles underneath his eyes and he was frowning.

"Okay Sammy, we'll get ya there." Dean reassured slowly turning them around to head back to the bed. He was trying to encourage Sam that he was doing really well when he noticed something. Looking closer, Dean realized that there was a pair of eyes watching him and Sam. Dean wrapped his arms a little tighter around Sam as his jaw set in anger, glaring back at the demon outside the window.

Once Dean had Sam lying back on the bed, Dean quickly went to the door calling for their dad. "They're here," He whispered poking his head outside the door not wanting Sam to hear him.

"Where?" John asked through gritted teeth, his eyes narrowing in outrage. They both turned to watch as the hall light began to flicker.

"Outside of our window," Dean answered causing John to nod before he looked back out into the living room summoning Josh and Caleb. Knowing that their dad would take care of it, Dean returned to Sam's side wiping his brother's sweaty bangs off of his forehead. "How ya holding up?" He asked praying that Sam wouldn't pick up on the fact that there was anything wrong.

Sam glared at Dean through his pain. "How the fuck do you think I'm holding up… fuck, this hurts!" He groaned twisting and squirming on the bed as another contraction tore through him. This was the worst one he'd had yet increasing the brutal abuse his hips were taking at not having been built to be able to do this.

"Can't we do anything else?" Dean asked when Steven walked into the room. Sam's eyes were closed and he was breathing harshly, small whimpers leaving him every couple of minutes. Sweat rolled down his face and his bangs were plastered to his forehead.

Steven shrugged, knowing that the pain management he could provide was greatly limited. He rubbed Sam's calves in comfort as Dean tried to coach his brother through the pain. "Ok, I'm gonna check you now Sam." The doctor announced once again lifting the blanket to check Sam's progress once the contraction ended.

"You had better tell me that we can get these two out!" Sam yelled before he whimpered again, tears and sweat dripping down his cheeks.

Dean wiped a cloth over Sam's sweaty face. He hated seeing Sam in so much pain and he prayed that this would all be over soon. Quickly glancing over his shoulder, Dean saw that the window was now empty of any demonic peeping Tom's and the lights had stopped flickering. He just hoped that their dad and their friends were okay but hearing Sam's labored breathing, Dean knew that he couldn't focus on that right now.

"Good news Sam, you've only got 3 more centimeters to go." Steven encouraged. "You're doing really well."

_My body feels like it is being put through a meat grinder and then stretched beyond reason, please tell me how that is considered doing well?_ Sam asked himself in exasperation though he didn't have the energy to voice it right now.

Dean smiled softly. "Hear that Sam, we're almost ready. It's gonna be okay." He soothed glad to hear that Sam had made some more progress. Hopefully, that meant that they were near the end of this.

Sam snapped opening his eyes to glare at Dean. "Please tell me how the hell this is okay? I, not we, am getting ready to push two freakin' melons out of something that is the size of a God damned orange! Where the hell is the okay…?" Sam drifted off, his back arching once again as his head tilted back.

Dean sighed and just squeezed his brother's hand in a show of support, ignoring Sam's rants as he knew that his brother was in a crap load of pain right now. Lowering his mouth next to Sam's ear, Dean tried to soothe Sam.

When the contraction ended, Sam looked up at Dean with teary eyes. "I'm sorry," He sobbed.

Dean immediately shook his head with a bewildered look on his face. "About what?" He asked.

Sam sniffled. "Yelling at you… it's… it's just that this really hurts and I'm scared Dean but please don't be mad at me. I… I really do want you here." Sam reached with his free hand to wipe his tears away before replacing it on top of his rock hard belly.

"Oh Sammy," Dean took a seat on the bed and leaned down to give his brother a variation of a hug. "I know you're hurting Sam. I mean, this can't be fun but don't be scared. Steven and I won't let anything happen and you don't have anything to be sorry for, I'm so..." Dean was cut off by a loud boom right outside their window.

Sam swallowed. "What was that?" He asked.

Dean's jaw clenched for a minute when he saw the angry looking demon peering in through the glass again. _Come on guys, take this fucker out_ he silently thought. "Nothing Sam, it was just the wind," He lied glad that Sam was too tired to spot the lie as he got up to close the curtains, wanting to do as much as he could to prevent the demons from having any part in this. "Seriously though, I'm really proud of you." Dean said softly, sincerity in his voice as he sat down beside his brother again.

Sam smiled softly as he closed his eyes, trying to rest before the next contraction hit him.

~DW/SW~

Josh and Caleb silently walked around the perimeter of the house knowing that Bobby and Jim were doing the same while John guarded the hall. Each one of them was armed with fully loaded weapons and holy water. "Come out, come out ya little freak!" Josh muttered quietly. Hearing a twig snap nearby, Josh and Caleb went stock still.

They both looked briefly looked at each other, their guns loaded and ready. Clenching their jaws, Caleb and Josh waited trying to determine just where the demon was.

"Over here boys!" A long red haired woman called, smirking when Josh and Caleb turned to look at her.

"You out for a stroll princess or do ya just like getting your meatsuit wet?" Josh asked as he stood up straighter, anger shining in his blue eyes.

"It's just too beautiful of a day… I had to come to out and smell the roses." She smiled as she walked toward them, not afraid at all by the guns they carried. Raising her hand, she flung both men up against the side of the house holding them there with an invisible force. "Looks like you boys are shit out of luck," She said indicating the two guns lying in the mud at their feet. "You two sit tight, I'll be back in a bit." She said starting to walk towards the front porch.

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait your turn too sweetheart." Bobby called as Jim began reciting the exorcism from memory.

The demon stopped in her tracks, her captive's body twisting in pain as her eyes turned black. "You think there's just one of us preacher?" She asked smiling as Jim barely missed being tackled by a second demon. The second demon that walked up to the small band of hunters possessed the body of a middle aged man with graying salt and pepper hair.

"Thanks for distracting 'em but this one's mine bitch." The demon called smirking evilly.

The red headed demon glowered, her body shaking with the force it was taking to not succumb to the exorcism.

_I thought we came here together; you devilish prick_ the female demon thought angrily. "So you think." She muttered before fixing her gaze on the other demon seconds before he crashed to the muddy ground, blood pooling around him.

Caleb smirked from his place on the side of the house. "Thanks, that's one less of you sons of bitches we get to worry about." He said giving Jim time to restart the exorcism that would send the second demon back to hell.

~DW/SW~

"Okay Sam, I think you're ready to push." Steven announced almost three and a half hours later.

Sam swallowed nervously and held tightly to Dean's hand. Dean stood beside his brother holding Sam's hand and helping Sam to sit up with his free arm. When Sam glanced up at him, Dean gave his brother what he hoped was an encouraging smile. "You can do this."

"On the next contraction, I want you to take a deep breath and hold it while bearing down okay?" Steven said as he pulled a new pair of gloves on and positioned himself at the end of the bed in between Sam's legs.

Sam nodded. _Please let me able to do this_ he prayed hoping that he was strong enough to be able to get his and Dean's children out into the world successfully. "Guh," He groaned, clenching his eyes closed and throwing his head back when he felt the undeniable pressure on his abdomen. Tears sprung to his eyes at the burning feeling as one of his twins moved down just the slightest bit.

"Okay, relax Sam. Stop pushing!" Steven ordered when the contraction ended. Quickly, he inserted two fingers into Sam's stretched out hole. He still wasn't able to feel anything but he knew that that would probably change with the next couple of pushes or at least he hoped so.

Feeling the urge to bear down again, Sam grabbed Dean's hand again and squeezed with all his worth as he screamed.

"I'm so proud of you Sammy," Dean repeated as he tried to encourage his brother. "Just a few more pushes and we get to meet monster number one." They knew that their son was going to be born first as he was resting in the bottom of Sam's abdomen while their daughter was up by Sam's ribs.

"I want him here now!" Sam argued through gritted teeth as he pushed.

"I know, I do too but you gotta work for that." Dean told him, wiping Sam's sweaty forehead with a clean cloth.

Sam turned his head just the slightest bit to be able to glare at Dean. "What the hell does it look like I'm doing… lounging by a frickin' pool!" He shouted, relaxing just the slightest bit when the contraction ended. He knew the next one was just around the corner.

~DW/SW~

A few minutes later, Sam panted as he felt his son's head leave his body. "Come on Sam, you're almost done. He's almost out. I need you to just give me one more push and we'll be halfway there." Steven encouraged as he held the little newborn boy's head in his hands ready to catch the rest of the baby's body.

Sam groaned. "I can't… I can't…" He sobbed looking at Dean with tears flooding down his cheeks.

Dean smiled softly. "Yeah you can," He argued. "Come on, one more push and then we get to meet our son. You can do it Sammy, just one more push."

"Out! Out, out, out!" Sam shouted as he bore down pushing with what was left of his waning strength. The knowledge that he still had one more baby to deliver after their son was born was terrifying to him… he had no idea how the hell he was gonna be able to do it.

Suddenly, the sound of an infant's wailing filled the room and Dean felt the tears he'd been holding back finally fall. "It's our son Sammy, it's our boy." He cried leaning down and in an uncharacteristic move kissed Sam on the forehead. "It's our boy." Leaning away from Sam just the slightest bit, Dean peered over the edge of the blanket to see the baby that Steven was holding.

Dean watched as the doctor suctioned their son's lungs and then laid him down on a blanket on the second bed. He was covered in gunk that Dean didn't want to think about and looked a little wrinkly but Dean counted ten toes and ten fingers… the kid was perfect.

"Good job Sam, he looks healthy." Steven congratulated, keeping a close eye on the little boy but at the same time knowing that a more thorough check up would have to wait. "Okay, relax for a minute."

"He's healthy?" Sam asked, smiling happily but tiredly at hearing his son cry.

"Man, he's loud." Dean noted, smiling wide. _He's my son_ he thought proudly.

Sam nodded before he felt another contraction build inside him forcing him to bear down again. Sam was exhausted and in more pain than he ever thought possible and his legs shook with the effort it was taking. The feeling of his children passing through his body burned and he hoped that he wasn't bleeding as he'd read the risks. "I can't… it hurts too much Dean, I can't…" Sam sobbed tearfully, exhaustion written across his face.

Dean's heart went out to his brother but he knew that Sam couldn't stop now, not when their daughter still needed to be born. "I know Sammy but Nick needs his sister, come on Sammy you can do this. We just have to get her out and then you can rest."

Sam cried and was about to tell his brother that he couldn't and that Steven was just going to have to reach inside and yank her out when he heard his son cry again. Hearing the little boy wail gave Sam an extra boost of energy and he grabbed his knees, pushing as hard as he could.

"That's it Sam, keep pushing," Steven encouraged.

Falling back onto the bed a moment later, Sam closed his eyes but groaned as he felt his daughter slip further out of him.

"Really good Sam," Steven encouraged waiting for the next contraction. "She should come out quicker."

"God, I hope so." Sam muttered. "Ah!" He screamed, bearing down again.

Steven nodded knowing that the little boy; Nick apparently, had loosened Sam up so hopefully the little girl would slip through easier. Steven held his hands at Sam's entrance ready to catch Sam and Dean's daughter.

Sam sighed with relief when he felt his daughter's head pop through. He knew once her shoulders were out it would be all downhill.

Dean smiled and cupped Sam's cheek in his hand. "She's almost here," Dean said softly, unable to believe that his and Sam's family was almost complete. "You can do this Sammy, you can I know it. Give us one last push."

Sam nodded tiredly, glad beyond belief that this was almost over. He felt as if he might sleep for the next week after his daughter was born. "Last one… I can't do it again." Sam whispered before he pushed hard and birthed his and Dean's daughter. Utter relief filled him when he heard her let out a loud wail too. _Thank God they're okay_ he thought, smiling tiredly at Dean, exhaustion starting to claim him.

Dean held Sam's hand running his thumb over the back of Sam's hand as he watched Steven cut their daughter's cord. "Sammy, she's…" He drifted off when he looked down at his brother's face and saw how pale the kid was. _No, no, no, no this was supposed to be smooth!_ Dean silently yelled. "Sammy, no come on man… don't do this to me!" Dean shouted when he saw Sam's eyes begin to close. "No, no, no… Sammy come on… the kids need you. I need you… I… I can't do this without you." Dean said softly, tears beginning to fall from his eyes at the prospect of having the twins here but possibly losing Sam.

Dean glanced up from his brother's pale face to see what Steven was doing and was immediately alarmed. "Steven, what's going on?" He barked not liking the fearful expression on Steven's face.

"Not now Dean!" Steven barked back as he worked to stop the bleeding. "Shit!" He cursed. Steven reacted quickly and grabbed the emergency tools he had brought with him. He paused briefly to explain the situation to Dean. "Sam's bleeding pretty heavily right now and to be completely honest, I'm not surprised that he is but it doesn't look to be stopping so I have to go in and stitch him up. But neither one of the twins have been looked at yet and we need to know that they're okay."

Dean swallowed thickly as he continued to hold tightly to Sam's hand. _He's supposed to be okay now_ Dean thought, on the verge of panicking.

When Dean didn't move, Steven started handing out orders. "I need you to go look at them for me, make sure they're both breathing and that their color is good." Steven explained. He knew that Dean didn't have the medical background or training to do a proper check up on the newborn babies but Dean's careful and protective eye would have to do for now.

After a moment, Dean nodded and leaned down close to his brother. "You hold on you hear me? Steven's gonna patch you up and then we can introduce everybody to Nick and Abby okay Sammy?" Dean placed a soft kiss on Sam's forehead and then walked over to the second bed that hadn't been used in months, feeling overwhelmed at the sight of his newborn son and daughter.

~DW/SW~

An hour later, Steven had thankfully managed to stop Sam's bleeding and gave the twins a second check up. He had been more than relieved to be able to give them both clean bills of health. Dean was sitting in a chair that they had moved into his and Sam's room holding both of the newborn babies in his arms, waiting for Sam to wake up. Nobody had met the twins yet as Dean wanted Sam to see them first. "Hi sweetheart," Dean said, his voice unusually soft when he noticed that his and Sam's daughter was awake. "Aren't you a little pretty one?" He smiled as he watched her little movements.

Their daughter Abigail Caitlin Winchester, or Abby, had his green eyes and a pink pouty mouth but her hair was all Sam, dark and curly. She had weighed four pounds and six ounces and had been seventeen inches long and had been born at 10:13 in the morning. Her brother, Nicholas Mathew Winchester, or Nick, had weighed six pounds and two ounces and had been eighteen inches long. He was born five minutes before his sister at 10:08 A.M. His hair was a little more on the blonder side but he had Sam's hazel eyes. He had to admit it... he was totally and completely wrapped around their little pinkies.

Movement from the bed drew Dean's attention off of his daughter and to a few feet away. He smiled, relief flooding through him when he saw that Sam was awake. "Sammy, thank God," Dean said tearfully as he stood, careful to not jostle or drop either one of the babies. "How are ya feeling?" He asked.

Sam sniffled. "Tired and sore…" He replied, wincing when he tried to move on the bed.

Dean nodded again, thinking that only a freak wouldn't have been sore after that ordeal. Slowly, he made his way to the bed and sat down beside his brother sitting so that his brother could see the twins.

"Are… are they okay?" Sam asked moving hesitantly. He still felt exhausted and his whole body was sore but looking at the two sleeping newborns in Dean's arms, he also felt happier than he had in months.

Dean nodded. "Yeah Sammy, they're perfect." Dean smiled proudly as he looked down at the two babies he was holding. They were both awake now and looking up in Dean's direction, their little hands twisted into fists. "You ah… you wanna hold 'em?" He asked.

Sam nodded, smiling and feeling quite emotional. As Dean placed Abby and then Nick into his arms, Sam's tears started to flow, soaking his cheeks. "My babies… Dean, they're… they're…" Sam shook his head, holding both of them close unable to express just how happy he was. "They're our babies."

Dean's smile softened as he settled down on the bed, carefully taking Nick after a moment. He kept one hand on Nick's back as he gently reached over to trace a finger down Abby's baby soft cheek. _Yeah Sammy, they're ours_ Dean thought silently as he laid back close to Sam, enjoying being surrounded by the three most important people in his life.

* * *

Hey! So how was that? I hope it was "realistic" enough? And like I said, we'll find out the fate of the rest of the gang next chapter ;) and see their reactions to the twins too. Thanks again for reading everybody! I hope to hear from all of you and I'll try to update soon. :)


	34. Chapter 34

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter and I hope that everybody enjoys seeing Abby and Nick's first couple of hours with their family. I tried to make the interactions with both babies be pretty even so hopefully, it doesn't feel like we're seeing more of one twin than the other. Wow, we're 5 reviews away from reaching 500... you've got to be kidding me?! Thanks to everybody for every single review you've left... that's amazing! I'm still not totally sure how much longer this story will run for... maybe until when the twins get to be about 6 months old is what I'm thinking? Is that okay or should I go longer/shorter?

Now, here's a little bit of strangely related family-supernatural news that I think this is quite cool though this might show just how big of a dork I am. One of my older cousins is pregnant for the first time (I'm really excited for her! :D) but get this... her little boy is due on July 19th, that's right on Jared's birthday I will be getting a new little cousin! (I have a HUGE-ass family so I count anybody with 'cousin' in their title as a cousin... it's easier that way :P) Oh, and they are thinking of naming him Jake... lol. And no, neither she nor her husband is a fan of the show... coincidence much? I don't know, I just found that entertaining.

Anyways, thanks for continuing to read this story and I hope to hear back from all of you. Enjoy! :)

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Dean smiled softly when the twins began to cry about eight minutes later. _Here we go_ he thought knowing that the high pitched wails were something that they would be hearing a lot of now that Nick and Abby were finally here. "Aw, what's the matter kiddo?" He asked as he lightly rubbed Nick's back trying to soothe the small baby a little. _How the hell do we tell what you need_ Dean silently wondered hoping that he wouldn't completely mess Abby and Nick up while he figured out how to be a parent. _You've been raising Sam since you were four, you can handle this_ he heard his dad's voice silently encourage him.

"They might be hungry." Sam observed as he watched Abby's little rosebud mouth form an "o" shape as she began to squirm in his arms.

"Oh yeah, you guys want some grub?" Dean asked as he stood, gently laying Nick down on the bed beside Sam. "I'll be right back." He told his brother before he hurried out of the room to go prepare two bottles.

~DW/SW~

Dean walked into the kitchen and headed straight for the cabinet where they had decided to store all of the bottles and baby supplies. Grabbing what he needed, Dean began to fill them with the formula Steven had recommended since Sam had adamantly stated that he didn't care what crazy things his body thought he was capable of, he was not breastfeeding. To be honest, Dean was quite glad at that… he thought that maybe his brother had undergone enough womanly changes already.

"How are they?" John asked as he approached Dean, worry and concern written on his face even as he fought to smile. He had heard the twins' cries and was excited that his grandchildren were finally here and that so far, at least everything looked like it had turned out alright for the youngest Winchester and his new additions.

Dean smiled even as his hands shook with nervousness. "They're good… kind of scary but really good." He admitted.

John nodded as he recognized the look of an overjoyed and yet nervous, brand-spanking-new parent on Dean's face knowing that twice upon a time he had looked like that too. "How's Sam?" He asked, wanting to know how his youngest had made it through. Steven had explained to him about Sam's tearing and that his son had fallen into an exhausted sleep but overall had made it through just fine. He still wanted Dean's take on it though knowing just how perceptive his oldest was, especially when it came to Sammy. A part of him really wanted to go see the kid for himself… not to mention finally meet his granddaughter and grandson but he didn't want to overwhelm Sam and figured he would wait until Dean gave him the go ahead.

Dean paused from tightening the plastic nipples onto the bottles and then turned them over the sink to make sure they wouldn't leak. "I really think he's gonna be okay," Dean stated knowing that for the first time in nearly nine months, his brother had something other than the competition and the constant danger that it had brought with it to focus on.

John's smile widened when he heard the conviction in Dean's voice. God, how he hoped his oldest was right. "When he's ready, I want to see him."

"That goes for the rest of us too!" Caleb announced as he, Jim, Bobby, and Josh all walked in through the front door of the little house. The four of them were completely drenched and covered in mud creating puddles on the hardwood floor at their feet.

_Uh oh, Sammy's not gonna like that _He thought when he saw the muddy foot tracks knowing just how much of a clean freak his brother had become recently. He decided to ignore that small problem when he heard one of the twins begin to cry again. _I'm coming, I'm coming_ he silently thought before he nodded back at his friend, smiling proudly. "Don't worry guys, I promise you'll all get to meet them soon." He said purposefully not revealing the twins' names to the band of hunters. That was something he wanted to do with Sam. Giving them a second smile, Dean headed back down the hall ready to tend to his children. _My children_ he thought, still not able to completely wrap his head around the fact that he was indeed a father now.

~DW/SW~

Sam gently shifted on the bed, not wanting to hurt his daughter in any way but also still feeling very, very sore from the birth. Sam had the feeling though that he was going to be sore for a while. _I can't believe I managed to do that_ he thought as he watched his two newborn children. "Shh, babies it's alright," He cooed trying to soothe both infants at the same time. Abby and Nick's wails only seemed to grow louder causing Sam to grow increasingly more nervous… he wasn't so sure that he would be able to do this. Sam ran a gentle hand over their heads brushing back the soft, silky stands of hair. "Shh, the food's coming, I promise." He smiled relieved when he heard Dean's footsteps returning. _You could have had them fed a few moments ago_ he thought to himself. _Nope, not doing that_ Sam silently confirmed, reaching out for one of the bottles. He hoped that his outright refusal to breastfeed despite his apparent ability to wasn't the start of him being a bad parent.

"Alright, I got what ya guys need." Dean said as he handed one bottle to Sam who began to feed Abby while Dean picked Nick back up and then began to feed him. "See, much better?" Dean told his son as he kept the little boy held protectively close to his chest. Dean knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would move heaven and hell before he let anything hurt either child or Sam.

"They have your appetite." Sam commented as both twins greedily sucked on the rubber nipples.

Dean let out a little laugh. "They're Winchesters, of course they know how to eat." Dean hadn't been able to take his eyes off of the baby boy who was cradled in the crook of his arms, drinking hungrily from the plastic bottle. The smile that was on his face was unmistakable.

Sam laughed a little. "You're the one that eats like a horse." He shot back.

Dean chuckled again as he nodded, knowing his brother was right. "You all done little fella?" He asked when Nick let the bottle slip from between his lips and began to cry. Dean set the bottle on the nightstand as he grabbed one of the burping cloths that they had. "Shh, it's alright… it's alright," Dean cooed as he gently laid Nick against his shoulder, beginning to burp him.

"Um, could you do me a favor?" Sam asked a moment later as he burped Abby who had also finished eating for the time being.

Dean instantly nodded. His kid brother had just gone through almost sixteen hours of labor, he wasn't sure there was anything Sam could ask of him that he would refuse. "What is it? Do you need something?" He asked.

Sam smiled affectionately at Dean, glad to have him around during this stressful time. "It's kind of cold in here… can you go get them a blanket each and some pajamas? And new diapers too?" He asked listing off the things that he thought his twins would need and hoping that he wasn't forgetting anything important.

_See, you know what to do_ Dean silently told Sam knowing that Sam had been worried he'd be an inadequate parent to the twins. Handing the now sleepy eyed baby back to Sam, Dean carefully climbed off of the bed and headed into the twins nursery. Opening first Abby's dresser drawer that contained her pajamas, he took out the light pink footed sleeper with a cat on it. It was cute and something Sam had selected for her to wear after she was born knowing it was more than likely going to be pretty damn cold. He then walked over to Nick's dresser and selected the green giraffe sleeper for the little boy. Once he had the blankets and diapers that Sam had also requested, he headed back to his and Sam's room.

"Alright, let's get you guys all warm, hunh?" He asked as he took Abby from Sam, smiling sweetly at the little girl that he couldn't believe was his. Carefully, he laid her down on the bed and fit the diaper on her making sure it wasn't too tight or too loose. "Hi Abby," He said as he gently worked her small limbs into the pink sleeper. "Almost done baby girl, I'm almost done messing with ya." He promised when the little baby let out a small cry.

Sam smiled as he watched Dean interact with their newborn daughter before turning his attention to the little boy who was currently resting on his chest. "Hi Nick," He said, softly running a finger over the little boy's cheek. Sam couldn't get over the fact that these two adorable little babies had actually come from him and that he had done what seemed like an okay job at providing for them. Sure, they had been a little on the small side but given their situation; Steven had reassured him that it didn't mean the twins were unhealthy. Sam lay back on the bed propped up by pillows just watching his son feeling a sense of contentment fill him.

"I'll trade ya," Dean spoke up, interrupting Sam's 'quiet-time' with his little son.

Sam smiled and nodded, carefully passing Nick to Dean and then holding Abby close to his chest. "There, that's better hunh sweetie?" He asked as he tucked the purple blanket with flowers on it a little tighter around her. Sam watched as Abby's eyes began to close and he carefully lowered his head to press a gentle kiss to her tiny forehead. "Sleep baby girl, your daddy's got you." He reassured forgetting for the time being that they had yet to figure out just what the twins were going to call Dean.

Dean smiled as he stood beside the bed, gently rocking Nick back and forth hoping to get the little boy to fall asleep. After a few minutes, he felt his son's breathing even out and knew that the little guy had fallen asleep. Being careful not to wake him up, Dean gently placed him in the bassinet that he and Sam had set up next to Sam's side of the bed. Originally, they had thought about putting the bassinet beside Dean knowing that Dean would be the one who was going to be able to move faster after their arrival but Dean had argued against that. He'd always slept in between Sam and the door and whatever danger wanted to bust in and now that theory included the twins too. "Sleep tight baby girl," Dean said after he'd kissed Abby's forehead and laid her down beside her brother.

"Can you help me up?" Sam asked quietly, not wanting to wake either twin especially since he had no idea how long they would actually sleep for.

Dean nodded and wrapped one hand around Sam's and then he wrapped his other arm around Sam's back to leverage his brother up. "Take it easy," He instructed knowing that Sam was probably quite weak and tired and not wanting him to overdo it. _Damn, I'm going to have to take a few days off work_ he thought, realizing that at least for the next couple of days he wanted to be sure that Sam got all the help he needed. Dean was grateful that he had a little bit of the Thanksgiving holiday left to use before having to go into his vacation time.

Sam nodded. _Trust me I won't be going anywhere in a hurry for a while_ he thought grimacing at his sore muscles. He was sore in places that he didn't even know existed.

"Where to?" Dean asked once they'd made it out of their room, gently closing the door behind them. He made sure the baby monitor that was attached to his belt buckle was on wanting to be able to hear anything that might be going on with either Abby or Nick at any given moment.

"Bathroom." Sam replied as he took small, baby steps wincing quite a bit.

Dean nodded again and helped his brother inside before returning to the hall to wait. He smiled when he saw their dad watching them from down the hall. He could tell that their dad was anxious to meet the twins but he wanted to take this slow so that neither Sam nor the twins would get worn out by everyone's excitement. _Everybody's okay_ he thought, amazed that they had all made it through this crazy adventure in one piece. For how hard and trying of a time these past nine months had been, Dean thought that the outcome was pretty damn good. _You shitting me? Look at those two… we scored!_ He thought to himself.

~DW/SW~

About half an hour later, Sam was resting on the couch enjoying the lunch that his dad had made for him from yesterday's leftovers from the Thanksgiving dinner at Jim's house. Dean had planned on cleaning the floor from the mess that their friends had made but was surprised to find that their dad had already done it. Suddenly, Sam heard the baby monitor Dean was wearing crackle to life and he began to slowly push himself to his feet, ready to go see which one of his children needed his attention.

"Stay there Sammy, I'll go get them." Dean said trying to do as much for Sam as possible. It was easy to see that the kid was still exhausted.

Sam smiled gratefully at Dean's attentiveness and settled back on the couch wondering how all of the grizzled hunters would react to the small and quite adorable babies. _Maybe I should have gotten them?_ He wondered a moment later, hoping that no one here would see him as neglectful.

A few moments later, Dean returned to the living room holding one twin in each arm. Laura let out a small squeal of excitement while the rest of their friends stood, smiles spreading over their faces. Dean thought the fact that Josh, the hardened hunter, looked nervous was hilarious and he couldn't wait to see how the other man would react to actually having one of the small infants in his arms.

_You two are gonna help me embarrass the hell out of these guys_ Dean thought mischievously. He smiled down at his two children before looking up at his family and friends, nodding to Sam. Sam stood and slowly walked over to Dean, taking Nick from his brother. "You wanna do the honors, Sammy?" Dean asked as he lightly rocked Abby in his arms who had started to fuss just the tiniest bit.

"Um, okay," Sam blushed, smiling with his dimples on display as he motioned to the little boy he was holding. "Um, everybody meet Nicholas Mathew Winchester and his sister, Abigail Caitlin Winchester." He said as his eyes briefly switched to the undeniably gorgeous baby girl Dean was holding. "Nick and Abby meet your grandpa John, Grandpa Bobby, Grandpa Jim, your uncles Steven, Josh, and Caleb and your aunt Laura." _Wow, that really is a lot_ Sam thought, grateful that they had that many people in their lives. He and Dean had decided that while their dad was obviously the twins' grandfather, Bobby and Jim deserved honorary titles due to everything they had done for them over the past nine months. The same went for Josh, Caleb, and Steven… Sam really wanted to show them his gratitude for their support and figured that this might be a nice way to do that.

"Dad, you wanna hold your granddaughter?" Dean asked when their dad stepped forward, a look of complete and utter shock on his face.

"Ah yeah, yeah of course I do." John said, his voice unnaturally soft as he carefully took the baby from Dean being sure to support her head and neck. _God, it's been a long time since I've held one of you_ he thought smiling when the little girl opened her eyes to reveal ones that matched Dean's, only a tinge bluer. "She's… she's gorgeous boys." John noted as he held the little girl protectively close to his chest. He couldn't believe that this small person was his granddaughter! _Look at her Mary_ John silently told his wife, hoping that she was able to see this completely unexpected event. He felt a bit of sadness knowing that welcoming their first grandchildren into the family was something that they should have done together but the elation he felt at finally being a granddad helped him to push those feelings down for right now, at least.

Dean laughed as he watched his dad. "Whoever knew that the way to turn you to mush was to have you hold a baby dad." He teased even though he couldn't deny feeling the same way towards both kids. He actually had felt a little hesitant handing Abby over to his dad despite the fact that he knew the other man would be careful with her.

John mock-glared at his oldest before gazing back down at the brown haired baby watching as she wrapped tiny fingers around one of his. "I'm your grandpa, sweetie… we've waited for you for a while."

Sam stood to the side, smiling and feeling tears prick his eyes as he watched his dad with his daughter. It was a sight he didn't think he'd ever see but it was truly amazing. He switched his gaze to look at Nick, noting how the little boy was resting, seemingly, comfortably in his Aunt Laura's arms. She was smiling at the little baby and gently rocking him even as Caleb glared at her, waiting impatiently for his turn.

"How's he doing?" Dean asked, smiling proudly at his son. It had yet to occur to him that since they had been born, he had always looked at them as if they were his son and daughter… not niece and nephew.

"He's happy, isn't that right Nick? You love your Auntie Laura." She asked before she finally relented and handed the small baby to the eager hunter. Laura had been surprised when Sam had introduced her as the twins' aunt but it was a title she was glad to have. "They're really cute Sam." She said as she gave Sam a hug.

"I know," Sam smiled, pride showing on his face as he agreed with her. "But thank you."

"Be careful with him." Dean warned his friend as he kept a protective eye on both babies, making sure that neither was getting too stressed or tired with all of the introductions and extra handling. Stepping up next to his brother, Dean smiled softly communicating without words just how happy he was. He got the feeling that Sam was feeling the same way and thought that it was about damned time they had something to actually look forward to. "Here, let me take her," He said to his dad a few moments later, eager to get his daughter back in his grasp.

~DW/SW~

Later that evening, Sam was rocking Abby while John was holding Nick as they waited for Dean to get the sink set up for the twin's first baths. "Hold on guys, I'm going as fast as I can." Dean told the almost day-old babies as he filled the baby bath bucket with a small amount of water. He checked the temperature, not wanting to risk any harm to come to either child before he took Abby from Sam and gently lowered his little girl into the warm water. Dean kept one hand underneath her neck to help support her better. "Shh, it's alright sweetie." He cooed when she let out a small, startled cry as Dean poured water over her little chest and tummy.

Sam stood beside his brother, running one hand lightly over the top of Abby's head. "Hi Abs," Sam said, speaking softly and smiling when she let out a small happy sounding gurgle. "I knew you were a water baby." He commented thinking back to how he had taken baths during the last few months of his pregnancy to try to get the twins to calm down.

Dean kept the bath short and pulled her out of the tub just a few minutes later. He wrapped her in one of the hooded towels that he had bought prior to their birth, not wanting her to catch cold. "We'll get jammies on you and then it's your brother's turn." Dean said as he gently rubbed Abby's back.

"I'll do that." Sam offered as he took his daughter from Dean.

"Okay," Dean replied before he turned back to Abby. "Alright, time to go see your daddy." Dean made sure Sam had a good hold on her before he let go, watching as Sam headed down the hall and into the nursery.

"Hold on champ, you're next." John reassured his grandson watching as the little boy stretched and kicked a bit.

"Alright little man, let's get you looking good." Dean laughed at the look his dad gave him before he started to give Nick his first bath. Yeah, so maybe he was also a hardened hunter who turned to mush at any interaction with Abby or Nick but could you blame him?

About seven minutes later, Nick's bath was done and he and Dean joined Sam and Abby in the nursery. Dean had left the task of cleaning up the kitchen for once both babies were asleep figuring it would be easier that way. Having gotten warm and fuzzy pajamas on both twins as well as fresh diapers, Dean and Sam headed into their room laying the twins down in the bassinet again. "Sleep well guys," Dean said as he turned off the bedroom light and he and Sam returned to the living room.

"I wonder how long they'll actually sleep for," Sam commented even as he stifled his own yawn.

Dean shrugged. "I don't know."

"Both of you boys took a while to learn to sleep through the night though that might have been from your mom not being able to stand hearing either one of you cry." John explained with a fond smile on his face as he remembered dealing with a newborn Sam and Dean.

Dean chuckled softly as he imagined his dad sleeping lightly, not due to supernatural danger but to listen out for his child's cries. _Kind of seems like we came full circle _he silently noted before he lifted his head to watch Sam. "Why don't you head to bed Sammy, I'll clean up the kitchen." He offered seeing the tired circles underneath his brother's eyes.

"You sure?" Sam asked, feeling as if Dean had done the majority of the work today.

Dean nodded causing Sam to smile gratefully at him. "Night dad," He called as he passed him on his way out of the living room.

John nodded back at his son. "Go get some rest Sam, we'll be here if you need anything." He confirmed since the building he worked in was closed due to the holiday.

"I know." Sam replied before he yawned again. He decided to forgo a shower for tonight… he was way too tired. Padding into the room, Sam quietly closed the door behind himself not wanting to wake either twin unnecessarily. He watched his children sleep for a moment before he moved to his own bed. "Sweet dreams my babies," Sam whispered before he curled up on his side of the bed, pulling the covers over himself.

~DW/SW~

Dean silently groaned when he was woken up by yet another cry… the fifth one of the night to be exact. "I'll see what they want." He whispered to his brother knowing that Sam had woken up the last time. "Shh, you'll wake your sister." Dean told Nick as he picked the crying infant up and settled him against his shoulder having placed a burping cloth there. Walking tiredly out of the room, he went into the nursery to check that a diaper change wasn't in order. Seeing that he was still dry, he took a seat in the rocking chair and started a slow, gentle rhythm. It wasn't long before he unconsciously started to hum Metallica. Dean looked up when his dad appeared in the doorway.

"Everything okay?" John asked knowing that even though Dean had helped tremendously when Sam was a baby, neither one of his sons was all that accustomed to the sleepless nights that came with newborn babies.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, I think he's starting to fall asleep." He said quietly as to not wake Nick up again.

"Alright." John said before returning to his bed out in the living room.

Dean carefully turned his head to the side seeing that yes, Nick had indeed fallen asleep again. His long eyelashes fluttered closed over his baby soft cheeks and Dean felt his heart swell with pride. "I love you, little man." He whispered, surprising even himself with that statement. Laughing silently to himself at the kind of mushpot that he had become, Dean stood without waking his son and then returned to his room ready to see just how long he would be able to sleep for this time around. And surprisingly, he wasn't annoyed at the thought of having to wake up again as he knew the reason behind it. _You guys are mine_ he thought protectively while feeling a good bit smug against the demon who had once thought that Sam, Abby, and Nick belonged to him. _There'll never be any chance of that happening, I promise._

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Hey! So how was the chapter? I hope everybody managed to enjoy it! Please let me know what you thought and I will try to update soon. I'm going to try and get the next chapter for 'Family Matters' up sometime late next week. Thanks again! :)


	35. Chapter 35

Hey guys! I'm kind of unsure of this chapter as Sam and Dean discuss some things and begin to come to terms with those decisions and I'm really not sure if they came out okay... I hope so.

**IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ -** So, apparently I am a complete liar and cannot make up my mind for the life of me and this is probably going to piss at least a few of you off and for that, I am really sorry. I hope you can forgive me... just know that when I started writing this story, it was not planned out at all and even still it's been kind of a write each chapter as I go type of thing so sorry, really! What I'm trying to say is that yes, the end of this story and the sequel will be wincest though I am more inclined to say that it will be implied wincest rather than blatent in your face... once again, I really am sorry as I know that I have readers who are fans of mpreg and not wincest and I said multiple times that this story wouldn't be wincest and well, here we are. To those of you who took a chance on my story and do feel upset or disappointed by this, please know that I appreciate you reading my story very much and if you feel you can't read the rest of it because of this, that's okay and I'm glad that you've read it and hopefully enjoyed it up until this point. That being said, there's no more sex scenes in this story so you don't have to worry about that. Thanks again for reading up until now! And if you do decide to continue to read the story, I hope you'll enjoy the last couple of chapters.

So for the rest of you, I hope you enjoy the chapter and I would absolutely love to hear back from you! I hope the chapter's satisfactory. Thanks again for reading! Now, go enjoy! :)

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A week later, Dean stood from the kitchen table, having finished his breakfast and walked over to the couch where Sam was feeding Nick. "You sure you're okay with me going back to work today?" He asked, needing to know that Sam was going to be alright having just their dad's help today. He had put off returning to work for a week now, claiming that he had had a small family emergency and while technically, that was true telling his boss that his little brother had just had twins… well, that was bound to be one way to lose his job.

Sam nodded as he continued to feed Nick his morning bottle. Nick tended to wake up earlier than Abby but his sleep was a lot more consistent and he wasn't a huge crier which Sam was quite happy about. He wasn't sure how he would have handled dealing with two babies with Abby's lung capacity. "Yeah, besides you have to go back." Sam argued, trying to convince both himself and Dean that it was necessary.

"I know… doesn't mean I want to though." Dean replied as he took a seat beside his brother and smiled lovingly at his little son. _He's your nephew_ Dean reminded himself, a small bit of jealousy and sadness filling him once again. Sam hadn't suggested that he be anything else and Dean didn't want to suggest it himself, fearing that it would upset Sam in some way or be considered weird that he wanted to be Abby and Nick's dad.

"They'll still be here when you get home," Sam smiled as he removed the bottle from Nick's lips, carefully leaning forward to set it on the coffee table.

"They better be." Dean responded knowing that if he ever did come home to find out that something had happened to either Sam or the twins, he'd probably kill someone for endangering the three of them.

Sam shifted Nick against his shoulder and began to burp him, smiling when Nick let out a rather loud one.

"That's my boy!" Dean grinned proudly. "C'mon, let me say bye to the little man." He said reaching out for Nick.

Sam nodded and gently handed Nick to Dean, smiling as he watched the interaction between his son and brother.

Dean gently cradled Nick to his chest as he pressed a soft kiss to the little boy's head. "You be good for daddy today, okay? And then we'll play and I'll let you do cool stuff when I get home, hunh buddy?"

Nick let out a little gurgle causing Dean to smile.

"I'm glad you like that plan kiddo." Dean said before he passed Nick back to Sam. "My shift ends at five so hopefully I'll be home by dinner."

Sam nodded relieved that it wasn't one of the nights where Dean would be closing the store and not getting home until midnight or so. "Okay, have a good day at work."

Dean nodded and then was on his way out the door before he could change his mind.

~DW/SW~

About two and a half hours later, Sam had just changed Abby's diaper and laid her down for a nap when the doorbell rang. _Crap_ he thought, hoping that the sound wouldn't travel down the hall and wake the twins as he felt like he needed a break, even just a small one. He was still very sore from giving birth and even though Steven had reassured him that that was normal, it was still annoying especially when he had two newborn babies to take care of.

His dad and Dean had been incredibly helpful over the past week and he was grateful to have their continued support. They watched Abby and Nick when he went to take a shower or so he could eat something or just to give him a little bit of breather. They also taught him different things that he never would have thought of. _It's only because they've done this before _Sam thought. He was still nervous that he wasn't as a good a parent as he could be to Abby and Nick and he only hoped that time would prove that he had known what he was doing. Sighing tiredly as he reached the front door, Sam peaked through the peephole and saw Laura standing on the other side. "Hey, well this is a surprise," He said opening the door and letting her in.

"Yeah, I hope it's okay for me to stop by?" Laura said somewhat hesitantly.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, yeah it's totally fine. Ah, I just put the munchkins down for a nap but ah, are you hungry or anything?" He asked, actually feeling really glad that Laura had stopped by. Over the past nine months, he'd lost the few friends he'd managed to make back in their old town where this had all started and since then, he hadn't ventured outside of the house almost at all, afraid for various reasons. Laura was the one person his age who knew the situation and was still comfortable being around him… it was nice to have some company who wasn't his dad, brother, doctor, or one of their hunter friends.

"Can I have a glass of water please?" Laura asked as she followed Sam into the kitchen.

He nodded and moved to pour both of them a glass before they took a seat at the kitchen table.

"So, how are you feeling?" She asked knowing that it had only been a week since he'd had Abby or Nick.

"I'm ok… tired but happy," Sam replied truthfully. He was beyond glad that the competition was over and done with and that he no longer had that hanging over his head. Of course, now that his children were here he had a whole new set of worries. And it wasn't just about his parenting skills either. He wanted to go back and finish his education, he knew he needed to now that he had his son and daughter to think about but the idea of going back was a little on the scary side… he hadn't been to school in almost a year and he wasn't sure how well he would be able to fit it in with his schedule. Sam didn't want to take advantage of his family or their support of him. And Sam was also worried about their financial situation and their future. He knew that Dean was pretty much done with hunting, or at least to the extent that it had been before… that much was obvious in his brother's actions and the fact that he hadn't even asked about any hunts nearby. His dad though, Sam wasn't sure what he was going to do and while he hoped his dad wouldn't make him and the twins hit the road once again, he doubted that the man would stay around for much longer.

"Well, that's good to hear." Laura smiled unaware of the situations Sam was currently running over in his head. "Where's your dad?" She asked noticing that the two of them were the only ones up and about and John didn't strike her as the type of person to take mid-morning naps.

"He's in the shower." Sam answered while thinking _he'll hopefully be out soon_ as he didn't really feel completely comfortable on his own yet.

"So, I've got a question for you." Laura stated somewhat hesitantly a few moments later.

"Shoot," Sam replied knowing that over the past nine months, more of himself had been exposed and poked and prodded than he had ever wanted. He doubted that whatever she had to ask would be worse than any of that.

"Would you wanna take a class or two with me at the local college?" Laura asked, hoping that Sam would say yes.

"Oh, ah…" Sam paused when he thought he heard one of the twins start to fuss over the monitor. After a minute though, it was quiet so he turned his attention back to his friend. "I… I don't know. When do they start?" He asked wondering if it was too late to register for classes.

"About a month or so." Laura answered hoping that Sam would consider it.

Sam nodded thoughtfully. _That's enough time, right?_ He asked himself. "What kinds of classes were you thinking of?"

Laura smiled, glad that Sam seemed at least a bit interested. Reaching down for her purse, she pulled out the schedule of classes she'd picked up the other day. "I don't really know… what would you wanna do?"

Sam shrugged as he began to look through the catalogue. "You know, I'd have to get my GED first, right?" The main advantage with college classes that Sam could see was the fact that he could pick and choose when his classes were and that would make dealing with the twins a lot easier. If he were to go back to high school, then he would basically be handing Abby and Nick off to his dad everyday for several hours while he went to school and that just didn't seem right to do.

"I know but I don't think you'd have too much trouble with that… you're pretty smart." Laura reassured when she saw the doubt on his face.

Sam nodded. "I'll think about it." He said so that he wouldn't have to give a yes or no answer right away.

Laura nodded back, seeing that that was probably the best she was going to get for right now at least.

_Nice timing baby girl_ Sam thought when he heard Abby wake from her nap. It was easy for him to tell that it was her who had woken up because of the fact that she started screaming almost right away whereas Nick tended to snuffle a lot before he pulled the big guns out. "Hold on baby, daddy's coming," He mumbled as he pushed himself out of the chair.

Laura laughed a little as she followed Sam down the hall, standing back as she watched him quietly enter his and Dean's bedroom and pick his crying daughter up.

"What's all the noise about?" He asked as he walked out of the room and over to the changing table. "Oh, I see… you have a present for daddy, hunh?" Sam questioned the little girl after he'd gently laid her down and gotten her undressed.

Sam smiled as he began to wipe her clean. He breathed a sigh of relief when the diaper change was all done just a few moments later. "There, see daddy knows how to take care of you." Sam muttered, more to himself than anybody else as he picked Abby up and held her in his arms watching as her eyes drifted closed again.

Laura stood watching Sam and Abby for a moment, thinking that they made quite the cute little pair before she spoke up. "Well, I should probably get going… I just wanted to stop by and see you."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, thanks… I enjoy your company. I mean otherwise, my conversations consist of bottles and diaper checks." He said appreciatively.

Laura chuckled a little as she and Sam walked out to the front hall with Sam carrying a sleeping Abby. "I'll see you soon and really Sam, think about it… it might be fun."

Sam nodded again. "I know."

"Bye Abby," Laura whispered and bent her head to kiss Abby's cheek. "Bye Sam."

"Bye." Sam replied before he closed and locked the front door again. "Guess it's just you, your brother and me now hunh sweetheart?" _Speak of the devil_ Sam thought when he heard Nick starting to cry. Hoping that Abby would sleep long enough for him to be able to soothe Nick properly, he headed down the hall.

~DW/SW~

_Uh oh, somebody's not happy_ Dean thought when he could hear one of the twins wailing as he walked up the front steps. "Hey, what's the matter Abs?" Dean asked as he walked in the front door, hearing his little girl crying at the top of her lungs. Sam was walking the length of the living room floor as he bounced Abby against his shoulder trying to soothe her. Abby's face was bright red and Sam looked completely and utterly exhausted, that much was clear. "She okay?" Dean asked concerned because yeah, Abby was demanding but she also tended to be okay if she was being held.

"I fed her, rocked her, changed her diaper and still she doesn't want anything!" Sam explained, worry and exhaustion written all over his face. He didn't know what else she could want.

Seeing how worn out his brother was, Dean reached out. "Why don't you go lie down for a bit and I'll see if I can figure out what's going on?" He suggested.

Sam sniffled tiredly and nodded, gently handing Abby to Dean. _What was I doing wrong?_ He asked himself when he noticed that Abby was already starting to calm down a little. Shaking his head as questions formed, Sam turned away from his brother and daughter and headed into his and Dean's room.

"What is it Abs?" Dean asked. He was glad when the little girl stopped screaming. "Aw did you miss me? I missed you too sweetheart." Dean pressed a gentle kiss to the side of Abby's head, oblivious to the pain Sam was currently in.

~DW/SW~

Sam walked into his and Dean's room, seeing that Nick was still sleeping peacefully in the bassinet. They had just run out of milk and their dad had run out real quick to grab some leaving Sam home alone with the twins for the first time ever. Originally, it had seemed to be going okay, mostly because Abby was the only one awake and Sam had sat out in the living room with her, listening to the baby monitor to keep an eye on Nick. _I love you so much_ Sam thought as he lightly ran a finger down Nick's cheek, stilling when the small baby turned his head towards him. Sam let out a sigh of relief when Nick remained asleep. _At least I seem to be doing okay with you_ he thought when he realized that he could no longer hear Abby crying and realized that Dean must have been able to do whatever it was he hadn't. _I'm their father, aren't I supposed to be the one who makes their tears stop?_ Sam asked himself as he climbed into bed, feeling a bit inadequate. Sam yawned and sniffled, forcing his tears back and settled under the covers figuring that there wasn't anything more he could do tonight. It wasn't long before exhaustion claimed him.

_Sam sat at the kitchen table, construction paper laid out in front of him along with a box of markers and a pair of scissors. A boy with blonde hair and curious hazel eyes sat across from him, talking animatedly about Christopher Columbus, the center of the project. A few moments later, the door burst open and a little girl with curly brown hair and bright green eyes came hurtling towards him. "Daddy!" She squealed as she launched herself onto Sam's lap._

_Sam smiled as he wrapped his arms around her. "Hi sweetie, how was your day?" He asked watching as Nick frowned, angry at his sister for interrupting him._

_"Hey, I was talking to daddy! It was my turn!" He pouted._

_Sam smiled reassuringly at his son. "Don't worry Nick, you can tell me more in a minute alright? We're not done yet bud, I promise."_

_After a moment, Nick huffed and nodded before he continued cutting and pasting for his project._

_"It was really fun, papa let me drive the car!" Abby exclaimed excitedly once she had Sam's attention again._

_"Oh, he did?" Sam asked as he gave Dean a pointed look. _

_Abby nodded. "He did and I did really good, right papa?" Abby asked as she directed her gaze towards Dean now._

_Dean laughed as he nodded. Sure she had been the one steering but his hand was also on the steering wheel and his feet were the ones working the gas and brake. "You did, you're a real pro." He agreed figuring that he would let his little girl have her pride._

_Abby nodded triumphantly. "See daddy?"_

_"Yeah, yeah I do." Sam leaned forward to give Abby a kiss on the cheek before he let her go but suddenly, his lap was empty. "Abs?" Sam called using Dean's nickname for her. Sam felt panic begin to fill him when she didn't answer and he looked around, noting that Nick was suddenly gone too along with the markers and construction paper… it was like the two of them had never been there. Looking around the kitchen, Sam also saw that all of the artwork that he had proudly displayed was gone too. "Abby! Nick!" He shouted as he stood from his seat and walked into the living room. The TV was on Cartoon Network but Abby and Nick were nowhere to be seen. "Abigail Caitlin! Nicholas Mathew! Answer me!" _

_Sam felt his chest heave with worry. Where had his kids gone? And where was Dean? How could all three of them just disappear in a matter of seconds? Hoping and praying that Abby and Nick were just busy playing, he went to check their room but found that it was empty too. Tears started to trickle down Sam's cheeks as he stumbled over to Nick's bed. "They're gone," He whispered to himself. _

_Suddenly there was the sound of approaching footsteps and Sam looked up, hope in his eyes. That hope was dashed when he saw Dean standing in the doorway, a cold and angry look on his face._

"_Dean, have you seen Abby and Nick? I can't find them." Sam cried, worry and fear lacing his voice._

"_Maybe that's for the better." Dean uncrossed his arms and took a step towards him. _

"_For the better… what the hell do you mean for the better?! I'd like to know where my children are!"_

_Dean huffed. "Oh really, well why didn't you pay more attention to them then?"_

"_What…?" Sam drifted off feeling very confused. "Dean, where are they?" He pleaded._

"_Somewhere safe." Dean answered shortly._

_"Some… somewhere safe?" Sam asked confused. The house was protected by sigils and wards so he wasn't sure what his brother meant by 'safe'. _

_"I told you, somewhere safe… somewhere where you can't find them." Dean spat. "You think you're a good parent Sam? You think that Abby and Nick love you?"_

_"Where are my kids?" Sam asked angrily as tears filled his eyes. "Where did you take them?" Sam demanded as he stood and rushed over to Dean, pounding his fists against his older brother's chest. It seemed as if the punches had no affect though as Dean stood still and silent for several moments, increasing Sam's anxiety._

_"Like I'm going to tell you, you didn't even want them Sam! Why the concern now?" Dean snarled before he turned his back and hurried out the door, slamming it behind him._

_Sam shrank back. "I… I do love them… I do." He cried, his shoulders shaking._

Sam woke with a start, tears still on his face. His heart was pounding in his chest and he quickly looked to the side of the bed only relaxing when he saw Nick lying safe and sound in the bassinet. "My baby boy," He cried as he stood and picked Nick up, holding him close and rocking both of them back and forth. "My baby, my baby," He repeated.

After a moment, Sam hurried out of the room needing to have Abby in his arms as well. Rushing out to the living room, he saw Dean lying on the couch with Abby asleep on his chest. "Is she okay?" He asked with tears obvious in his voice.

Dean glanced over at Sam, quirking a brow when he saw that Sam was crying. "Ah, yeah she's fine but are you okay?" He asked concerned.

Sam sniffled as he walked over to the couch, his head hanging and his bangs in his eyes.

"Sammy, what's up?" Dean asked sitting up carefully so as to not wake Abby.

Sam sat beside his brother, crying quietly for several minutes before he spoke. "Am… am I a good parent?" He asked with his voice unsure.

Dean stared at Sam for a moment, surprised at the question. "Yeah Sam, I think so."

"So… so you'd… you'd never take them from me?" He asked biting his lip as more tears filled his eyes.

Dean shook his head. "What… Sam, why the hell would I take them from you?" He asked now completely and utterly confused.

Sam shook his head, tears dripping down his cheeks.

Dean repositioned Abby in his arms so that one arm was free to wrap around his brother's shoulders. "Sammy, what's going on?"

Sam sniffled. "I… I just hope I'm doing a good job, ya know? I just… I don't want to screw up… I mean, I… I love them so much and I know that I used to hate them but I don't Dean, I don't… not anymore. And I want them to be happy and healthy and I'm just scared that I'm going to hurt them or not be good enough."

"Aw Sam," Dean sighed. "Look, I know this is scary… I mean, we're in charge of two little people now and yeah, I don't want to cause anything to happen to them either but we love them Sam so we can't really go wrong as long as we try and do our best. And that's what you've been doing and I think you've done a pretty damn good job so far." Dean added. He felt like his brother needed to hear that.

Sam looked up at Dean with watery eyes and sniffled again. "You… you do?" He asked.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, I mean Sammy… I know that I'm not their parent," It was hard to miss how his voice wavered when he admitted that and Dean hoped that Sam was still too upset to pick up on that little fact. "But I am their uncle and I love them just as much as you do and so does Dad and I think I can guarantee you that anyone who is a new parent has these fears so just try to relax, okay? You're doing good and we know you love them."

Sam was quiet for the next few minutes as he contemplated what Dean had just told him. It made him feel a little reassured to hear that Dean was nervous and scared too. _Remember what dad told you_ Sam thought to himself remembering the conversation he'd had with his dad a few months back about newborn babies and just how terrifying they could be. "Do you wish you were their parent?" He asked quietly.

Dean bit his lip as he looked down at Abby's sweet little face. He didn't know how to answer that… he didn't know which answer was correct. Finally, he sighed and nodded. "Sometimes yeah, I mean… technically I am their dad but that's a bit complicated right?" Dean said with a small grin on his face.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, just a little." _More like majorly complicated and if anyone ever found out, we'd probably be thrown in jail_ he thought.

"And yeah, I wish that they could call me dad or something like that you know but even if they ever just call me uncle, I will always be a part of their lives Sam… they're my kids, that's something that won't ever change." Dean stated with conviction.

Sam nodded again, touched by the fact that Abby and Nick meant so much to his brother. "I don't know how I'm going to explain it to them when they're older… I mean, what happens when they ask where mommy is?"

Dean reached over and gently squeezed Sam's knee. "I'll help you deal with that okay? We'll find some way to explain it to them."

"Thanks," Sam smiled softly as he felt the left over anxiety from his nightmare start to dissipate. "Really, you've been here for everything… I mean, you… you've done things that you didn't have to and you haven't even mentioned returning to hunting… there's no way they'd be here right now if it wasn't for you." Sam said with his voice full of sincerity. "They're your kids just as much they are mine."

Dean coughed, trying to cover the lump that he suddenly had in his throat. "You wanna know something?" Dean asked as he looked lovingly between Abby and Nick.

"What?" Sam wondered as he followed Dean's gaze.

"If I had to, I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat… you three are worth anything and everything to me." Dean said, his eyes shining with pride and honesty.

Sam felt humbled by Dean's words and his eyes misted over with fresh tears. "I…" He was cut off by the sound of Abby waking up. "You're okay sweetheart, your papa's got you." He said raising his eyes to meet Dean's, trying to show his brother that he meant it. He hoped that it would be something close to what his brother had done for him but he kind of doubted it.

After a moment Dean nodded and smiled, his eyes crinkling with happiness. "Yeah, your papa's here Abs." Dean agreed as he gently tightened the hold that he had on his daughter. _She is my daughter… thank you Sammy_ Dean silently thought to himself. Abby stared up at him, a happy and peaceful look on her face, reflecting the way the rest of her family felt right now.

* * *

Hey... so, how was the chapter? I really hope that it's okay and that none of you are too mad at me...

Thanks again for reading! I hope to hear from everybody :)


	36. Chapter 36

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter and I hope everyone enjoys it. I'm currently sick with a massive head cold so please forgive me if this chapter isn't quite as good as the others. I also wanted to say that I think there are probably about four to five chapters left of this story.

On a different note, I want to extend my congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Jensen Ackles! I hope you two have a long, happy, healthy life together! :D BTW, if you haven't seen them yet... the wedding photos are adorable! Oh, can someone either confirm or deny this rumor for me... I heard that SN's not coming back until mid-season? Is that true? I REALLY hope not! :(

Anyways, thanks everyone for reading! I hope to hear your thoughts on the chapter and I will try to update soon. :)

* * *

Dean walked into the nursery and smiled when he saw that Sam was almost done getting Nick dressed for their busy day ahead. Today was the twin's first ever doctor's appointment and Dean was feeling a bit apprehensive about it. For one, he would be taking them by himself and setting up a back story for future reference. Secondly, Sam was adamant that he shouldn't go despite his family telling him otherwise. Dean had tried to convince his brother that it would be fine if he accompanied them but Sam was nervous and Dean guessed that the baby weight he still had wasn't helping matters.

Switching his gaze from his son to his daughter, Dean smiled at the sight of her fast asleep in her car seat tucked underneath her favorite blanket. _My sleeping princess_ Dean thought as he watched Abby still not completely used to the feeling that she and her brother caused. Sam had dressed Abby in a white long sleeve onesie, a hooded blue vest with hearts on it and a pair of soft blue pants. Dean was personally glad that it was cute but not covered in frills… she was a Winchester, after all.

"Almost done Nickie," Sam cooed to the three week old baby as he pulled the pair of soft cotton brown pants up and tucking in the long sleeved shirt that had an army tank printed on it. Once he was done, Sam picked Nick up and laid him against his shoulder. "Um they both ate just a little while ago so they should be fine but you got the bottles I prepared?" He asked his brother.

Dean nodded. "They're in the diaper bag… Sammy, you'll see 'em in an hour." He tried to reassure when he saw the hesitant look on his brother's face.

"You guys will come straight home?" He wasn't looking forward to being separated from Nick and Abby… even if it was for their benefit. _You could go, ya know?_ He told himself before he shook his head just the slightest. One of his hands drifted down to settle on the extra weight he still had and figured that no, it would still be best if he stayed home.

Dean nodded. "I promise." He walked over to where Abby lay in her car seat and carefully picked it up to carry her out to the Impala while Sam carried Nick. "There ya go princess." He whispered after he'd made sure that the seatbelt was completely secure and then took Nick from Sam, doing the same. He was glad that it had stopped raining so he didn't have to worry about keeping the kids dry or driving on a slippery road. _Since when do I worry about road conditions?_ Dean asked himself.

Sam let Dean take Nick and then leaned down to kiss Abby's forehead. "You be good for Papa, ok? I'll see you when you get home alright. I love you baby girl." He adjusted the blanket that was covering her lap and then moved to the other side so he could also give Nick a kiss. Standing up straight, he locked eyes with his brother. "I guess I'll see you when you guys get home then…" He drifted off with an underlying tone of sadness in his voice.

Dean nodded. "We'll be home soon." He repeated hoping that Sam wouldn't be going crazy with worry the entire time they were gone.

Sam nodded back and watched as Dean climbed into the driver's seat of the Impala, tears forming in his eyes. He knew that this was kind of a big step… baby's first doctor's appointments and car rides were usually considered to be some big milestones and he was sad that he wasn't going to be there for Nick and Abby's. _At least they're in good hands_ Sam thought to himself knowing that Dean would never let something happen to them. _And you can go next time_ he thought, determined to have lost the excess baby weight by then and feel more comfortable going out into crowds once again.

"Papa?" Caleb asked as he came and stood beside Sam, his arms crossing over his chest. With Christmas being just a week away, their friends had decided to call a pause to hunting and come visit… all with the exception of Josh who probably wouldn't get there until Christmas Eve or later. In Sam's opinion, he felt like their friends were just using it as an excuse to come see Nick and Abby or at least Bobby and Caleb were if the presents they had bought were anything to go by.

_Shit _Sam silently cursed. He and Dean hadn't yet announced to the rest of their family and friends that Dean was now officially Abby and Nick's other dad. Truth be told, he wasn't quite sure that he would have revealed that anytime soon as it wasn't exactly something that he thought would go over well. Sam sighed as he began to walk back to the house. What was he supposed to say? That yes, the supposedly one time act had seemingly turned into something more? He didn't know so he stayed quiet and hoped that Caleb would drop it.

Caleb watched as the fear and hesitancy crossed Sam's face and sighed, unsure of how to feel. In one sense, it was really kind of gross… because seriously, this was incest they were talking about and he knew for a fact that both brothers, especially the older were just about as straight as a rifle. And yet, he could see how and why they had come to this because there wasn't a mother in the picture or at least not in the traditional sense. Besides, he was also fairly certain that Dean was never going to go anywhere without his kids and really, that was what they were right? Caleb sighed again as he came to a conclusion. "Just let me know if I ever need to kick his ass, alright?"

Sam stopped in his tracks and looked at Caleb as if he'd suddenly grown another head. That was not what he had been expecting.

Caleb just smiled and shrugged. He figured that there was really no harm being done to anyone and he'd be there to make sure it continued to be that way.

~DW/SW~

Dean pulled into the hospital parking lot and finally felt the shaking in his hands start to stop. That had seriously been the scariest car ride of his life, police chases and demon getaways included. He hadn't gone over the speed limit once and he'd kept glancing into the backseat just to make sure that Abby and Nick were still there. Having taken a moment to catch a breather, Dean opened his car door and walked around to the trunk so he could grab the stroller. "Alright guys, here we go." He mumbled as he set about trying to figure the damn contraption out.

~DW/SW~

Sam sat at the kitchen table with an unopened manila folder sitting in front of him trying to kill some time as he waited for Dean, Abby, and Nick to get back home. Sighing and figuring that he had better stop wasting time, Sam reached for it and ripped open the sealed envelope. He began to sort through the thick stack of papers, looking for the piece that would tell him what he had to do in order to get his GED.

"What ya looking at?" John asked as he walked into the kitchen.

Sam paused and stiffened a bit, unsure of how his dad would feel about him going back to school. "Ah just some paperwork for something I've been thinking about." He explained hoping that his dad wouldn't ask any more questions.

John raised an eyebrow at Sam's evasive answer. "Well, that's descriptive." He responded with sarcasm in his voice.

Sam shrugged as he laid the information packet down on the table again. "Laura asked me to take some classes with her… it sounded like a good idea." _Or at least I thought so_ Sam thought to himself.

John nodded as he took a seat, observing the tenseness in Sam's posture. "Sounds like a great idea… you know which ones you wanna take?" He asked, sounding genuinely interested.

Sam turned wide eyes to stare at his dad. Okay, so maybe his dad had proven to be a bit more of a normal person and not just an army sergeant these past several months but still… he hadn't really been expecting to have his complete support on this.

John saw how surprised Sam looked and sighed. "Look Sammy, I know I've always been a hardass… especially on you but things are different now. Don't get me wrong… I still fully intend on finding the thing that killed your mother and making it pay but maybe now we can have a home base. Besides kiddo, you've got Abby and Nick to think about…" John drifted off, surprised now at himself that he was feeling a bit choked up.

"I know." Sam interjected. Everything he did now was for them… they were all he thought about.

"Sam, what I'm trying to say here is that I don't want to do to them what I did to your brother and you." John finished. "They deserve better than that… all of you do."

Sam smiled softly. "Thanks dad." He replied quietly, happy in knowing that their dad was supportive of his choice to go back to school and leave hunting behind. _Now we just have to see what you think about 'us'_ Sam thought to himself but knowing that there was no way in hell that he was going to voluntarily disclose that information.

~DW/SW~

Pushing the stroller into the front entrance of the hospital, Dean smiled down at his baby boy who was currently looking back up at him with bright and alert eyes. "Hey buddy," He smiled as he stopped the stroller to push the button to open the elevator. "Shh," He said bringing a finger to his lips when he saw Nick begin to frown. "We don't wanna wake your sis."

Nick's frown changed into a smile when Dean reached into the stroller and gently rubbed his belly. He let out a little gurgle as he grabbed the edge of his teddy bear blanket and raised his sock covered feet.

"He's adorable." Dean heard and turned to see a curvy red headed woman standing in the back of the otherwise empty elevator.

Dean smiled proudly. "Thanks."

"What's his name?" The woman asked as she stepped closer to the three of them.

"Nick and the sleeping beauty is Abby." He answered as he started to gently rock the stroller back and forth to try and keep both babies settled… the last thing he wanted was for them to get agitated before the doctor even saw them.

The woman leaned forward slightly and peered into the stroller unaware that Dean was watching her every move… ready to strike if needed. "She looks like an angel." The woman complimented bringing up an unpleasant feeling in the pit of Dean's stomach.

_I frickin' hope not_ he thought knowing and feeling satisfied that the angel had no claim over either infant. "Yeah, I like to think she's a keeper." He responded keeping up appearances and causing the woman to laugh a little.

The elevator dinged causing the woman to step forward. "Well this is my floor."

Dean nodded. "Bye."

"Bye cutie," She said, her gaze directed at Nick who was busy suckling on the pacifier Dean had just given him in the hopes of keeping him satisfied. She smiled bye to Dean and then walked out of the elevator.

"What do you know? You're already a ladies' man." He said to his son a moment before the elevator stopped at the pediatric floor. Sighing and hoping that this would go well, he pushed the stroller out into the semi-crowded waiting room. Painted on the back wall of the large room was a mural of a clubhouse in a wooded setting. There was a small bookshelf that was mostly empty with the books it was supposed to be containing scattered around on the floor along with a table with a few children's games placed on it. Dean observed the children who were playing before their appointments began for a moment and then headed for the line, glad that it was relatively short. Dean's protective gaze never strayed far from his twins or the area surrounding them as he kept on the lookout for anyone suspicious.

"Next!" An older gray-haired woman called causing Dean to step forward.

"Hi, I have an appointment today for Abigail and Nicholas Winchester at ten." He said as he took his wallet out.

The woman smiled when she saw the two tiny babies. "Aw, well let's get you guys taken care of. Is it your first appointment?" She asked causing Dean to nod. "Okay, so there's a ten dollar co-pay and then I just need you to fill out these forms and bring them back to me once you're done." She said as she took the ten dollar bill from Dean and handed over the clipboard that had all of the papers Dean needed to fill out.

Dean nodded and set the clipboard on top of the stroller before he set off to find a space for the three of them. Dean parked the stroller in a corner and then took a seat so he could fill out the paperwork. About fifteen minutes later, he was done with both packets. _I'm a parent_ Dean thought to himself looking at his name in the "Father" slot. This was still new to him, the fact that he actually had a son and daughter and it amazed him and scared him all at the same time.

Having returned the paperwork to the front desk, Dean took his seat again and prepared to wait. "Shh Abby it's okay, papa's here." Dean soothed when the little girl woke up and began to cry. He leaned forward and unbuckled her, carefully lifting her up. He smiled when her cries started to quiet down. "That's a girl," Holding her close to his chest, he leaned down again and picked up a set of pink teething keys. She was obviously too young to actually need them yet but she liked to hold on to them and if they kept her satisfied then they were all good in Dean's book.

The trio had to wait for a few more minutes before a nurse called their name. Dean put Abby back in the stroller; breathing a sigh of relief when she didn't protest that action. She didn't always like being put down. Dean followed the nurse into the small exam room which was painted a soft off-white color and had a variety of farm animals painted on the walls. He smiled comfortingly at his children who were now both wide awake.

"So let's see how much these two cuties weigh and take their temperature and then the doctor will be in." The nurse explained.

"You're up first little man." Dean nodded as he unbuckled Nick figuring that it would probably be best to start with the easier baby. Dean gently laid Nick down on the baby scale smiling when he saw that Nick had gained two ounces and grown one inch in the past month. Nick fussed a bit so Dean gently ran a hand over his short blonde hair. "Shh," He soothed comfortingly.

"Aw, I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise handsome." The nurse cooed causing Dean to smile. It was very entertaining for him to see just how wrapped around their little fingers everybody was.

Just then Abby decided that she had been ignored long enough and began to wail. "Abs," Dean started as he leaned down to put Nick back in his stroller seat. "Shh honey, you saw your brother hmm… there's nothing to be scared of."

The nurse smiled kindly and they waited a few minutes for Abby to calm down in Dean's arms. "Shh, I'm not gonna let you go." He promised as he walked over to the scale and laid her down on it allowing her to keep one list fist wrapped tightly around his finger. After the nurse wrote down her measurements, they quickly took her temperature making Dean quite relieved that they were done… with that part at least.

"The doctor will be right in. Bye Abby, bye Nick." She called as she walked out of the room and quietly closing the door behind her.

~DW/SW~

"Hi, I'm Dr. Toletson." A woman who looked to be in her early thirties if Dean guessed correctly said as she walked into the small exam room.

Dean turned around from where he was playing with Abby. "Hi, I'm Dean Winchester." He smiled as he shook her hand.

"And these two must be Abby and Nick." Dr. Toletson said as she walked over to where Dean was standing.

Dean nodded. "Yup, they're my rugrats." He joked.

Dr. Toletson laughed a little. "Mom's day off today, hmm." She inquired in a friendly voice as she set the two files she had been carrying down on the counter and removed the stethoscope from around her neck.

Dean paused. "Ah no… there's not a mom in the picture." He clarified.

Dr. Toletson paused for a moment thinking that the man in front of her was incredibly young to be a dad anyhow but especially a single parent. "Oh, I'm sorry… I didn't know." She apologized hoping that she hadn't offended Dean.

Dean shook his head. "Don't worry about it. We're doing just fine, aren't we guys?" He smiled as he reached down and tickled both Abby and Nick's stomachs making both babies let out little happy squeaks. "So, which monster would you like to start with?" Dean asked, getting the appointment back on track.

~DW/SW~

Dean smiled as he climbed the stairs to their front door, smirking just a little bit when Sam opened it before he had even reached the top. "See here they are, safe and sound." Dean said as he glanced down at Abby and Nick.

Sam nodded as he took eager steps towards the small group and reaching out to take Nick's carrier from Dean. "How did it go? What did the doctor say?" He questioned placing Nick's Carrier down in the front hall and then proceeding to pick his son up.

"They did great," Dean encouraged as he followed Sam inside, not wanting either one of the kids to catch a cold from the rainy weather outside. "Nick's put on three ounces and grown an inch and this little one's gained one ounce."

Sam smiled down at his baby boy. "You're getting big, aren't ya buddy?"

Dean laughed. "He's also a little ladies man… just like his papa." He chimed in as they walked further into the house.

Sam glanced up when Dean said that, his mind going back to earlier in the day when Caleb had overheard them use that term. "Ah, yeah… we have to talk." Sam sighed as he walked over to the couch and sat down with Nick cradled in his arms.

Dean noticed the somber look on his brother's face and instantly grew worried. Holding Abby to his shoulder and rubbing gentle circles on her back, Dean followed Sam to the couch. "Sammy? What's going on?" He asked, anxiety running through him as he wondered what could have happened within the short time he was gone.

"Um… Caleb heard us earlier." Sam said quietly, biting his lip nervously.

Dean shook his head, confused as to why that was a big deal. "So…?" He asked as he gently shifted Abby on his lap as he leaned down and picked up the stuffed lamb that Caleb had brought with him.

"He heard us Dean… he heard me call you papa." Tears formed in Sam's eyes and he shook his head. "I'm sorry Dean."

Dean sighed as he reached over with one arm to wrap it around his brother's shoulders. "I guess he didn't take it too well then." He sighed thinking that he would have to have a serious talk with Caleb when he saw the guy because seriously what the hell business of Caleb's was it if Dean was "papa". And they weren't hurting anyone… the deed had already been done and besides Dean hated seeing his brother upset. "I'm sorry Sam but don't worry, I'll take care of it." He promised with his signature big brother growl in his voice.

Sam shook his head no causing Dean to look even more confused.

"Sam… you're… you're my family. The four of us… we're a family and fuck anyone who says otherwise." Dean's voice rose in volume as he grew angrier. Abby seemed to notice her papa's distress and let out a small whimper. "Shh baby, it's okay." He soothed, forcing himself to calm down.

Sam sniffled. "No… no, that's just it. He said he was fine with it." Sam replied trying to calm Dean down as he could see the angry and protective glare on his brother's face.

Dean sat up straighter, a surprised look on his face. "He did?" Dean asked, shock coating his voice.

Sam wiped his eyes and nodded. "Yeah… he um… he told me to tell him if he ever needed to kick your ass." A small chuckle worked its way out of Sam's throat causing Dean to smile.

"Yeah well I doubt shorty could take me anyway." Dean mumbled glad that it seemed that one crisis had been averted. Looking around the room, Dean noticed how quiet it was. "Speaking of the devil, where is he?"

"Oh ah, he and dad went to go get a Christmas tree and Jim said he'd be over shortly with decorations." Sam answered making Dean laugh again.

"You serious? Dad's really cuttin' down a freakin' Christmas tree?" He asked with a smile on his face. "Man, we haven't had Christmas… well a real one ya know in ages."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I know but I'm glad we are… I mean, I want them to be able to experience normal stuff… everything that you and I missed." Sam glanced down at Nick who was asleep in his lap and ran a gentle hand over Nick's downy soft blonde hair.

Dean was quiet for a moment as he contemplated that. Of course Sam was right… he wanted Abby and Nick to grow up living in one house, one town where they could make friends and go to school without having to constantly pick up and move. He wanted them to be able to go to their friend's birthday parties and he wanted them to know that they never had to ration for food. Dean swallowed thickly knowing that this was his chance to not only provide Abby and Nick with a better childhood, but it was a chance to give Sam some semblance of normal too. "Don't worry Sam, I'll make sure they get everything they want." He reassured just as the doorbell rang. "I'll get it."

Dean stood and walked over to the front door, smiling when he saw that their dad and Caleb were back. "Hey Abs, look what Grandpa brought you and your brother." He said as he repositioned the little girl in his arms better.

John laughed a little. "She's my grandkid… course I'm gonna spoil her!" He replied as he smiled at Abby. "You mind setting her down and coming to help?"

Dean shook his head and walked back into the living room. He picked up the pink bouncer seat and brought it over to where Sam was sitting. "You wait here a sec, alright princess?" He said as he gently strapped her into it and pressing a soft kiss to her little forehead.

Sam placed Nick in his own bouncy seat and then walked over to the front door, laughing when he saw just how big the tree his dad and Caleb had gotten was. "Where are we going to put it? That's thing's massive!" He asked, his voice slightly teasing.

"We'll find room." John answered determinedly. Normally, he hated the holidays as they always seemed to remind him of what he'd lost and as a result, he had never made much of an effort to give his boys the typical Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other supposedly special occasion. It had hurt too much to celebrate after Mary had died and he guessed that he sort of just got a stuck in a rut over the years of just doing the same thing. But this year… this year was going to be different. John blamed his change in attitude on the two new additions that had everyone wrapped around their tiny fingers and he hoped that he could do better with them than he had with his own children. And who knows… maybe by doing so, he'd finally be able to give something to his boys that he should have been giving them all along.

"Dad?" Dean called for the third time, wondering what had made his dad disappear off to 'lala land'.

"Sorry Dean, what?" John responded once he'd been drawn out of his thoughts.

"Just wondering where you want us to put this." Dean explained as he and Caleb stood in the front doorway, each helping to hold up the rather large Christmas tree.

"Ah…" John paused as he looked around the room, trying to find a good spot. "Sam, come help me move the couch. We'll put the tree in the corner."

"Sure," Sam smiled softly as he headed over to the couch all the while thinking that this was definitely the type of environment that he wanted Abby and Nick to grow up in.

* * *

Hey! So, how was the chap? I hope everybody enjoyed it and will let me know! I'm planning on updating 'Family Matters' sometime either later this week or next, depending on what my schedule turns out to be so hopefully it won't be too long of a wait for an update. Thanks again! :)


	37. Chapter 37

Hey guys, I'M BACK! :D I am so sorry that this update has taken so long... my computer was on the fritz and really hated me for a while. Luckily, it seems to be fixed now (keep your fingers crossed that it stays that way). Anyways, that's why I'm late with this one but with any luck, the next chapter will be up sometime next week.

Thanks for sticking with me! I hope you all enjoy the chapter and I would love to hear back from all of you! :)

* * *

Dean stood beside the newly decorated Christmas tree holding Abby in his arms and showing her the many decorations as they waited for dinner to be ready. Jim and Steven were in the kitchen cooking the Christmas meal as they were the ones who had actually celebrated Christmas enough in the recent years to be able to cook a decent meal. Dean smiled when the doorbell rang and walked with Abby to answer it. "Let's see who that is baby girl." He smiled as he cradled her in his arms. "Hey Josh," Dean said after he'd opened the front door to reveal the other hunter.

"Hey Dean," Josh gave Dean a tired smile. He'd been driving pretty much all night to be able to get to their house in time for Christmas.

"C'mon in man," He said stepping to the side to allow the other man entry.

"Thanks," Josh replied before he turned his attention to the little girl Dean was holding. Abby was dressed in a long sleeved red and white Christmas dress that had gingerbread men and Christmas trees around the bottom of it. The red bow in her hair matched her dress and Josh had to admit, she was darling. "Wow, she's really gotten big." He commented.

Dean smiled tenderly at his daughter and nodded. "Yeah she really has." Abby and Nick were now a little over a month old and both were growing like a weed.

Josh and Dean both laughed a little when Abby reached a chubby hand forward and grabbed Dean's nose. "What ya doing silly?" Dean asked, smiling proudly when Abby let out a small gurgle.

"Oh, I brought these." Josh stated suddenly as held up a bag that had two wrapped gifts in it.

"Thanks," Dean replied taking the bag from his friend and setting it underneath the tree with the rest of the presents; almost all of which were for Abby and Nick. Realizing that the hardened hunter had gone out shopping for baby items made Dean laugh silently to himself, oh how he would have loved to have seen that. "Can I get you anything? A beer?" Dean asked as he bent down to lay Abby on her blanket on the living room carpet.

"Beer sounds great, thanks." Josh replied before he turned to say hi to the rest of his friends.

Dean nodded and opened the fridge to take out a cold beer. "Here man," He said passing one to Josh and then opening one for himself. Moving to stand next to Caleb so he could keep an eye on his little girl, Dean watched as she played with the stuffed animal that Laura had handed her.

"Where's Sam?" Caleb asked noticing that the younger Winchester had been gone for an extended period of time.

"Ah, he's down the hall with Nick." Dean answered. "In fact, I'll be right back. You guys mind keeping an eye on her?" He asked, jutting his head in the direction of his little girl.

"Not at all." Caleb responded as he picked up his beer and walked over to where his niece was. "What ya playing with beautiful?"

Dean laughed and then headed for the twins nursery. "Sammy, it's me." He called quietly before he opened the door and stepped inside. Sam was sitting in the rocking chair with a worried look on his face as he held Nick against his chest. "How is he?" Dean asked as he walked over and kneeled beside the pair.

"He's still cranky and he doesn't want to eat." Sam explained as he rubbed a soothing hand over Nick's back. The little boy hadn't slept well the night before and his appetite was off.

"What's going on little man?" Dean asked as he leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to Nick's forehead.

"Should we take him to the hospital?" Sam wondered hoping to God that there wasn't anything wrong with his baby boy.

Dean bit his lip. He had wondered about that too but since Nick only had a slight fever, he was a little hesitant too. "If he's not better by tomorrow, then we will." He decided.

Sam nodded, smiling a little when he realized that Nick had finally fallen asleep. "That's it sweetheart, just rest." He cooed.

"Want me to put him in his crib?" Dean whispered.

Sam nodded not wanting to risk trying to stand and waking the little boy up again.

"Okay," Dean gently took Nick from Sam and carried him over to his crib carefully laying him down on his back. "Sleep tight little man, papa loves you." He smiled sweetly and then he and Sam walked out of the nursery hoping that a decent night's sleep was all that their baby needed.

~DW/SW~

"Man guys, this looks awesome!" Dean smiled as he sat down at the table that was set for nine. Abby was asleep in the portable playpen in the living room. Sam and Dean had decided to put her down for a nap out there instead of in the nursery because they didn't want her to wake Nick. There was a large honey-baked ham in the center of the table that was just waiting to be carved. Other dishes full of mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, casserole, stuffing, and warm bread also lined the table.

"Thanks Dean," Steven and Jim said in unison.

Jim led them in saying thanks and then the hungry group dove into the Christmas Eve meal.

~DW/SW~

Sam was helping to clear the dishes after everyone had gotten their fill of Jim's apple pie when he heard Dean shout from down the hall. Hearing the worried tone to Dean's voice, Sam dropped the plate he was holding and raced towards the nursery, his dad hot on his heels. "Dean, what is it?" Sam asked before he felt his heart drop. Nick was lying in his crib on his side… seizing. "No, no, no," Sam muttered, fear making his chest clench. _What the hell was he supposed to do?_

In the background Sam and Dean heard their dad dialing 911 but all of their attention was focused on their son who thankfully had stopped seizing. "That's it little man, we're taking you to the hospital." Dean said as he scooped his son up, the unfortunate experience he'd gained from watching Sam have seizures coming in handy now. "How soon until that ambulance gets here?" He asked, his heart hammering but knowing that he couldn't panic right now.

"They're just a few minutes out." John reassured hoping to hell that they would get there soon. Even with the relief of having the seizure over, everyone was still on edge.

Luckily it was only a few minutes later when flashing red lights could be seen coming up the driveway and John hurried to let them inside. Once the paramedics had looked Nick over and deemed him stable enough for transport, they loaded the small one-month-old baby into the back of the ambulance. "Which one of you is coming with us?" The older paramedic asked.

Sam and Dean traded looks for a minute before Sam nodded at his brother. "We'll meet you there."

Dean nodded before the paramedics closed the doors and sped towards the hospital, the rest of the band of hunters racing behind them.

~DW/SW~

Sam sat in the waiting room of the hospital, holding Abby close to his chest afraid to let her go for fear that something would happen to her as well. "Why haven't they told us anything?" He asked as he turned to face his brother. They had brought Nick to the Emergency Room by ambulance almost forty-five minutes ago and still no one had come out to talk to them.

"I don't know." Dean answered as he kept his arm around the back of Sam's chair trying to reassure himself that Abby and Sam were safe. It was breaking his heart that he didn't know how his little boy was doing and that Nick had suffered from something that Dean hadn't been able to protect him from. Dean had gone into the nursery when he'd heard Nick begin to cry over the baby monitor. It had only been a few moments after he'd changed his son's diaper when he'd been forced to watch Nick's body go rigid and seize. Dragging a shaking hand through his hair, Dean breathed out a nervous breath. Looking around the room, he was grateful that they had the support of their entire family right now.

Their dad was sitting on Sam's opposite side, staring worriedly at the swinging doors in front of them. Caleb was currently doing a coffee run while Jim, Bobby, Josh, Steven, and Laura sat around the room silently offering support as they all waited for news.

"That's it!" John stated with irritation in his voice as he stood, determined to find out some information on his grandson. Just as he stood, the door opened and a woman walked into the room. She was dressed in long black slacks, a woman's dress shirt and the customary white overcoat. Her hair was pulled back into a perfectly neat bun and everyone in the room sensed the air of superiority she carried.

"Family of Nicholas Winchester?" She asked, holding her clipboard to her chest.

"Yes, that's us." Dean answered as everyone stood, eager for some news and hoping that Nick was okay.

"Maybe we should talk privately?" She suggested, focusing on Dean as he seemed to be the one in charge amongst the group.

"No, they're family. We can talk in front of them." Dean argued.

The woman nodded. "I'm Dr. Sharon Mitchell. I tended to Nick after he was brought in and I'm relieved to be able to say that he is stable right now and there hasn't been any reoccurrence of seizure activity. There appears to be no lasting damage from the episode either." She explained, causing everyone in the room to let out a relieved breath.

"Oh, thank God." Dean sighed as he felt Sam sag against him in relief. Having the doctor tell them Nick was alright helped to calm both of their racing hearts.

"Can we see him?" Sam asked as he rubbed a gentle hand over the sleeping baby's back.

"Family only, I'm afraid." The woman stated, her expression clearly showing that she didn't buy their story that everyone present was blood related.

"He is family." Dean ground out knowing that they couldn't reveal the truth and at the same time, knowing how upset Sam would be, and rightfully so if he was prevented from seeing their son.

"Dean," Sam said quietly as he softly laid a hand on his brother's arm. "Go see him. I'll wait here." It killed Sam to know that he would have to wait to see Nick but he figured that at least if Dean was back there, then he wouldn't be alone.

Seeing the resigned look on Sam's face, Dean nodded. "He'll be fine." Dean reassured before he bent his head to give Abby a kiss. "Be good for daddy okay princess? Papa'll be back soon." He whispered so the only ones who heard him were Abby and Nick. Straightening up, he turned to face the pompous doctor. "Let's go." He ordered.

~DW/SW~

Dean stood beside Nick's bedside in the pediatric unit watching as his youngest slept, thankfully unharmed. "Hey little man," He said with a loving tone as he reached down and gently ran his fingers over Nick's soft hair. "You scared me buddy, don't ever do that again. Your daddy wanted to come see you but the mean old lady wouldn't let him. Your papa's here though and I'm not going anywhere, okay? Daddy and I love you and once they say we can spring you from this place, we'll go home and open presents with your sister, alright? Night kiddo." Dean adjusted the blanket that Nick was sleeping under, kissed his forehead, and then took a seat in the provided rocking chair, content to just watch over his child.

~DW/SW~

"How is he?" Sam asked as soon as Dean had walked out of the hall of the pediatric unit and over to where he was waiting.

Dean smiled. "He's fine. The doc says that he can probably go home later this afternoon." He explained.

Sam sniffled. "Did they find any reason why he had the seizure?" Sam asked nervously since he wasn't sure what answer he wanted. In one sense, he did want them to find out why so that way they would have some answers and yet at the same time, he didn't want to hear anything that might suggest that there could be a repeat performance.

Dean shook his head no. "No, they ran some tests but said that nothing popped up. They did say that it could have been from a quick change in his body temperature."

"Oh," Sam noted before both brothers were quiet for a few minutes.

"Sam, I think we should tell them." Dean announced somewhat hesitantly.

"What?" Sam asked surprised and a bit unsure of what exactly his brother was talking about.

Dean bit his lip as he wasn't totally sure what Sam's reaction would be. _If you don't know how he's going to react then good luck with the rest of them_ Dean silently told himself. Watching how Sam had been refused access to their son the previous night, Dean had come to a conclusion. Abby and Nick were both of theirs and God forbid they ever have a repeat of last night, Dean wanted both of them to be completely involved in their care. And besides, what if something ever happened to him? He doubted that their father or their rather protective band of friends would ever let Abby and Nick go to a stranger but he wanted to keep the chances of that happening to a minimum. Neither one of those things could be accomplished really if one of them always had to play uncle.

"But… but Dean…" Sam stuttered, drifting off and feeling unsure of just how they would ever be able to pull it off.

"We're a family Sam. You, me and the kids and it's about damned time we admitted that." Dean reasoned.

Sam swallowed thickly… he was scared of how their family and friends would react to the news. _Caleb was alright_ he thought, trying to reassure himself.

"It'll be okay," Dean comforted as he wrapped an arm around Sam's shoulders hoping that he was right. "Now, let's go get our boy."

~DW/SW~

Forty minutes later, Dean and Sam were loading Nick into the backseat of the Impala that Caleb had brought the previous night. Both brothers were very relieved to finally be on their way home. "Dean, are you sure about this? I mean, what if they're mad at us?" Tears formed in his eyes at the thought of their disappointment in him and the lack of their support.

Dean sighed as he sat, waiting for the light to turn green. "Then, we'll deal with it Sam and if they are, then that's their problem. We're doing what's best… for the four of us. I mean, you guys are now my number one priority and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that you three are taken care of for the rest of your lives."

Touched by Dean's words and comforted by his brother's faith in their decision, Sam let a small smile form on his face as he turned his head to watch Nick who was lying awake in his carrier, his tiny sock covered feet kicking out a little. "What do you think Nick, is your Papa crazy?" Sam asked, laughing a little when Nick gurgled back at him. "Let's go give you your first Christmas okay baby boy?"

~DW/SW~

Half an hour later, Sam and Dean pulled into the driveway to see a group of eager hunters standing on the front porch ready to welcome the three of them home. "We're home Nick," Sam said softly, unbuckling Nick from his car seat and carefully lifting his little son to his chest. Feeling very grateful that Nick had been deemed healthy enough to be able to come home after just one night in the hospital, he gently kissed the side of Nick's head and adjusted the little cap he was wearing.

Dean smiled as he watched Sam with Nick even as butterflies filled his stomach at the thought of coming clean to their family. "Yup, home sweet home," He muttered as he unlocked the trunk to grab the small bag that had Nick's change of clothes and other baby items before following Sam up the steps.

John opened the front door to allow his three boys into the warm house. "How is our little guy doing?" John asked.

"Good, doc says he should be fine but to bring him back if he develops another fever." Dean replied.

John nodded and feeling like a weight had been lifted off of his chest. Watching someone who you cared about suffer was always hard but it was ten times worse when it was a child. "Do you boys want to lay him down for a nap or open presents or…?" John asked, unsure of how his two children would want to proceed with the usual Christmas routine.

Dean looked at Sam who was shaking his head just the slightest and they silently agreed to wait until later to drop the proverbial bomb.

"Ah no, I think we can open presents." Dean decided as he took Abby from Laura. "Is that right sweetheart? Do you want to see what Santa brought you?"

"Alright," John smiled and all of the hunters headed into the living room where the Christmas tree had been set up. Underneath the tree were stacks of presents higher than either Sam or Dean had ever seen before though Dean guessed that that really didn't amount to much. Still though, looking at the pile before him Dean knew that Abby and Nick were going to be spoiled rotten and he was perfectly okay with that.

"Look at all these presents baby girl." Laura cooed as she stood beside Dean and Abby. "Santa must really love you."

"You too big guy," Sam added as he sat down on the couch with Nick in his lap. Still feeling scared and a bit overwhelmed from what had happened just a little while ago, he was keeping a very tight hold on his son.

Dean smiled as he lightly bounced Abby in his arms. "Santa's not the only one but you already know that hunh princess."

John smiled as he watched Dean with Abby before he leaned down and picked something red and fuzzy up off of the floor. "Ah, Dean I got something for ya." He said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Dean eyed his dad with suspicion. "What?" He asked with skepticism clear in his voice.

"This," John smirked as he handed Dean the red and white Santa hat.

Dean stared at it for a moment before he shrugged and put it on, laughing when Abby lightly tugged on it. "Abs, I don't think that's really going to work honey." He said before he handed her off to Laura, readjusting the rather itchy hat a moment later. "Serious dad?" He whined causing the room to erupt into laughter. It wasn't everyday that one saw Dean Winchester sporting the look of Old St. Nick.

"Hold up, this we gotta get on film." Bobby laughed as he hurried to grab the new camera he'd bought before coming over to the Winchester's house for Christmas. He figured that with Nick and Abby around, there would be lots for them to film.

Dean groaned out loud. "Seriously?" He asked again.

Bobby nodded. "Yup boy, this is one for the books." He smiled at Dean's obvious discomfort.

"Fine, fine, fine…" Dean grumbled good-naturedly.

After Bobby had snapped several embarrassing pictures of the young hunter, Dean began to pass out presents, the majority of which were for Abby and Nick.

"Wow Nick look at that!" Dean exclaimed after Sam had unwrapped the activity center from Jim. He knew that that would come in quite handy once the twins were a little bit bigger. Nick made a small gurgling noise and reached one of his chubby hands out towards the large box shaped object.

"And what did you get sweet pea?" Dean asked as he cleared some of the wrapping paper away so he could kneel beside Laura, who had Abby resting comfortably in her lap. "Who is that from?" Dean picked up the musical "sight and sound" book that he had bought and wrapped the previous week.

"It's from Papa." Sam smiled and causing Dean's head to shoot up before he shot him a curious look.

"Sam," Dean paused. When he had suggested revealing to their family and friends that he and Sam were now an "us", he had pictured them sitting down and trying to have a calm and rational discussion… not springing it on them like they were talking about the weather. Though looking at how pale Sam was, Dean knew that his brother hadn't meant to call him that right then.

"When did you have time to go out and buy presents?" John asked since he didn't think Sam had really left the house all that much since the twins had been born.

Sam swallowed nervously. "Um no, I wasn't talking about me." He said quietly, his hand unconsciously snaking out to find Dean's.

_Guess we're doing this now_ Dean thought to himself as he lightly clasped Sam's hand in his.

"Well then who the hell would "papa" be?" Josh asked causing the hair on the back of Dean's neck to stand up. He knew that this could very easily go south and knowing where his loyalty ultimately lied, Dean stood. "That would be me." He stated trying to show a good deal of confidence when really he was shaking in his boots.

John stared dumbfounded between his two sons with a flabbergasted look on his face. "What? But… but I thought that you two weren't gonna…" He drifted off, confusion and a bit of disgust in his voice.

Dean saw his father's reaction and slowly lifted his gaze to survey the rest of his family's reactions. Everyone looked stunned and when Dean heard Sam sniffle, his big brother instincts kicked into high gear. _Shit_ Dean thought, realizing that there was no backing down now. He wasn't sure how this was going to end but he had to make his stand. "Well it's not like we planned on this… it just kind of happened." Dean said, trying to explain just how this situation had developed.

John scoffed. "Oh well that's just great!" He shouted as he raked a hand through his hair. "That's just… I don't fucking believe you Dean! I trusted you to look after him and this is what you do!"

Sam quirked a brow at his dad, trying to follow what his dad was saying. When it clicked what their dad was getting at, Sam felt a bit offended. "Wow, wow dad… it's not like Dean took advantage of me." Sam said, trying to defend his brother and knowing full well just how supportive Dean had really been. Hell, Sam was fairly certain Dean was the reason he had lasted when the other "patients" had all died. "We… we talked and we both agreed that this is our best option."

"Really? You both think that having an incestuous relationship is the way to go? Neither one of you boys are even gay!" John yelled with anger painted across his face. "Both of you need a serious reality check because this has got to be the dumbest thing you two have ever done!"

"Now wait just a God damned minute dad!" Dean shouted back just before both babies started wailing when they sensed the tension level in the room. "Shh baby girl, shh… it's alright." He soothed even as he glared daggers at his dad.

Jim stepped forward to try and help get rid of some of the tension between the two oldest Winchesters. "I think you both need to calm down before Abby and Nick get any more upset." He tried.

John swallowed and nodded before he stomped toward the door and stormed outside leaving everyone else standing around in awkward silence.

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Hey! So, how was that? I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I would love to hear all of your responses to it! For those of you who are reading 'Family Matters', I have that next chapter written as well and as soon as I post this, I will get on that one. Thanks again! :)


	38. Chapter 38

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter and I hope you all enjoy it. I'm not too sure if it flows all that well so hopefully the time line isn't that confusing. If it is, please tell me! Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing back from you! :)

* * *

Dean stood glaring at the front door long after their father had left, anger coiling in his gut. _Screw you too dad_ he thought, whipping around when he heard the sounds of his children crying. "Give her to me," He practically growled as he took Abby from Laura, watching how Sam was trying to calm Nick even though it was obvious that he was quite upset himself.

"Well, I think that's enough excitement for one night," Jim started as he motioned for the rest of the hunters to come and help clean up the mess of wrapping paper and ribbon that was left over from the Christmas festivities. He felt like it might be best if they left the two boys alone for right now, especially given Dean's temper. "Why don't you boys go off to bed? I'll take care of things out here." He suggested as he tried to calm everyone down.

Still fuming, Dean nodded and followed Sam back toward their bedroom. They got Abby and Nick dressed in their pajamas and then laid them down to sleep in the portable crib by the bed. "I'll be back in a minute." Dean stated gruffly as he headed into the bathroom to quickly change into his own pajamas.

Sam nodded absently as he lied down on the bed on his side, tears slowly flowing down his cheeks. He wrapped his arms around himself as he cried, worry and heartbreak filling him. _Its Christmas… we're supposed to be happy _Sam thought wondering why they couldn't have just enjoyed a family holiday together for once. Sam turned to be able to watch Nick and Abby who were both thankfully sleeping. _I'm sorry guys _he silently apologized. _Why couldn't I have kept my mouth shut?_ He asked himself. _If I had, then maybe things would be different right now. _Maybe they would still be unwrapping presents and showing the twins the toys that they were still too young to enjoy the majority of… he didn't know but he liked to think that that was a possibility for them or at least had been.

Having changed into a t-shirt and a pair of flannel pajama bottoms, Dean stepped back into the room, trying to prepare himself for whatever mood Sam might be in. Dean was beyond pissed at their dad for storming out after accusing him of forcing his brother into doing something against his will. _You should know me better than that_ he thought angrily and admittedly, a bit hurt. His whole life, he had always put Sam's needs and wants above his… he didn't understand why their dad thought that he would suddenly stop doing so. Dean's anger upped a notch when he saw Sam lying on his side, shaking and crying. Running a hand through his hair, Dean stepped over to the bed and lay down beside his brother, pulling Sam back towards his chest. "Shh, Sammy… it'll be alright." He comforted.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to cause that." Sam whispered as he felt Dean's arms wrap around him.

Dean shook his head. "Not your fault." He replied shortly, feeling slightly relieved that at least the twins had fallen asleep. Dealing with an upset Sam was enough… having two fussy babies right now did not sound all that appealing.

"Still… I shouldn't have said that…" Sam said turning just the slightest bit to be able to look at his brother, guilt shining heavily in his hazel eyes.

_Damn it dad _Dean thought when he saw the guilt that was written across his brother's face. "It's okay… I actually kind of liked hearing you call me papa." Dean smiled. "And they had to find out at some point, right?"

"I guess but dad's mad… like really mad." Sam argued as he wondered what the rest of their friends were thinking. _Please don't let them hate us_ he hoped.

Seeing how upset Sam was over their dad's reaction, Dean squeezed Sam a little bit tighter. "He just needs some time." Dean tried hoping that that was the truth. He had had the feeling that their little announcement wouldn't be welcomed with open arms by their dad but he had been expecting for something a little better. _Shit_ he thought when he heard the front door slam a second time wondering and yet, trying not to care too much at whoever it was. Turning his head, he was glad to see that the racket hadn't woken the twins up.

~DW/SW~

Out in the kitchen, Pastor Jim, Bobby, Steven, Laura, and Caleb stood around wondering what to do now that John and Josh had both stormed out. Needless to say that they were all shocked by the night's turn of events too but none of them thought that storming out in some fit of rage was the way to go. "You knew about this, didn't you?" Bobby asked turning to face the younger hunter. He was the one who seemed to be the least surprised by Sam's accidental revelation.

Sighing and leaning against the kitchen counter, Caleb nodded. "Yeah… I've known for about two weeks. Sam begged me not to tell anyone and so I didn't but guys, really is it that bad of a thing?" He asked trying to defend his two friends and the incredibly difficult decision that they'd made.

Pastor Jim shook his head. "It might be… shocking but no, I don't necessarily think it's bad." Jim confided. He knew that both Sam and Dean were in a very difficult position but both boys were good people with good hearts and that was really all that mattered. He just hoped that John would be able to realize what Sam and Dean were facing before too much time passed because despite the two of them now having children of their own, they were still only kids themselves.

~DW/SW~

John sat on a barstool in the rundown dive outside of town, feeling a mix of emotions running through him. He was angry, hurt, scared, and nervous as hell. He didn't know what the hell he was supposed to do? He didn't know if he was supposed to drive back home and make sure his boys stayed separated for the rest of their lives or did he accept this unplanned and unlawful relationship that had started up between them? And if he did separate them, what would happen to Nick and Abby? Would Dean take them? He knew that was the more likely option seeing as how right now, Dean was the one who had full legal custody of them. Picking up the tumbler filled with whiskey, John swallowed it all in one go enjoying the distraction the burning brought before he signaled to the bartender to give him another.

~DW/SW~

Dean woke the next morning with Sam still wrapped up tightly in his arms causing a small, sad smile to cross his face. Last night had been rather difficult on the two of them to say the least and Dean doubted that today would be any easier. He had spent a good portion of the night trying to convince his brother that even if their dad never spoke to them again, things would be fine… he would find a way to make sure that their family was well cared for.

Moving just the slightest so he could peer over at the twins, Dean felt a good deal of worry fill him because as much as he tried to reassure Sam of their situation, he was filled with his own share of doubts. He knew how hard it was to keep up with all of the needed expenses that Abby and Nick brought with both him and their dad working so he was scared of what would happen if he were to be the only one in their family getting a paycheck. _How would he pay the mortgage? What about groceries? And what if one of them got sick again? _He thought to himself hoping to God that somehow, he would be a good provider. And he was worried about what their dad's abandonment would do to Sam emotionally too. Dean was drawn out of his worries when he heard a small cry come from the bassinet by the bed. "It's too early kiddo," He complained as he carefully untangled himself from Sam. It was surprising to him that even without seeing them, he could tell the two babies' cries apart.

"Dean? What is it?" Sam asked, still half asleep as he rolled over onto the side of the bed that Dean had just vacated.

"Nicky woke up. Go back to sleep, I'll take care of him." Dean whispered quietly as he stood and then pulled the covers back over his brother. "Come here little guy… shh, papa's here." He smiled as he picked him up and laid Nick against his shoulder, the little baby still fussing a bit. Dean also grabbed Nick's dark blue fire truck blanket and carried him down the hall, his attention too focused on his son to notice that Bobby was standing in the kitchen, a cup of coffee in his hand.

"He's your early wake-up call, hunh?" Bobby said jarring Dean a little.

"Wha…?" Dean asked lifting his head and seeing his friend standing at the counter. "Bobby? What are you doing here?" He was sure he hadn't heard the front door open or someone knocking.

"I stayed the night… we kind of thought someone should." Bobby explained knowing that Caleb had gone back to Jim's place and Steven and Laura had returned to their home as well but they were all just a phone call away.

"Oh," Dean noted and feeling quite awkward. He wasn't sure at all how Bobby felt after last night and he unconsciously held Nick a bit closer to his chest. Truth be told, he still hadn't totally relaxed from their trip to the ER on Christmas Eve either. _You two scare the crap out of me_ he thought to himself.

Bobby watched as Dean ducked his head, he was sure that the young man was feeling awkward and was looking for some escape. As he did so, Bobby also saw the quiet devotion that was painted across Dean's face every time he looked down at the little boy he was holding and he knew that Jim was right. Both Sam and Dean were good people who cared about each other and their children and really, at the end of the day that was what it all came down to. "Listen Dean… 'bout last night," He started.

"Bobby," Dean interrupted as he walked over to the fridge to make Nick his morning bottle. "I'm going as fast as I can buddy. It's not easy doing this one handed." He told his son when Nick let out an impatient and hungry cry.

"Here, let me take him." Bobby said as he stepped closer to the pair, trying to help Dean out a little. When Bobby saw the unsure look on Dean's face, he sighed and ran a hand over his bearded face. "Boy, I ain't gonna take him away from ya. I just wanna hold him so you can get done quicker and he doesn't wake up the other munchkin." He argued.

After a moment, Dean nodded and handed Nick over to Bobby. Turning back to the counter, he set to work on filling Nick's bottle before he made his own cup of coffee. "So, ah where is everybody?" Dean asked even though he wasn't completely sure he wanted to know the answer.

"Caleb went back to Jim's and Laura and Steven headed home too. They'll be back later though." Bobby reassured, wanting Dean to know that not all of their friends had abandoned them overnight.

Dean nodded. "I can take him now." He said as he took a seat at the kitchen table. "Look at what I have for you buddy. Oh yeah, that's the good stuff hunh?" Dean smiled as he watched Nick suckle happily on his bottle.

"I'm glad he's gonna be okay." Bobby said, breaking into the moment a little while later.

Dean looked up and nodded. "Yeah, me too." _Though I don't know if we will be_ he silently thought to himself. He knew that with their dad now off to who-knows-where, it was now pretty much all on him to provide for Sam and the kids and though that was a responsibility he wouldn't ever run from, it was an incredibly terrifying thought.

Bobby watched as the fond smile slipped off of Dean's face and he sighed again. "Dean, I don't want you to worry." He started but also knowing how much the young man hated emotionally vulnerable conversations.

"How can I not worry Bobby?" Dean asked as he removed Nick's bottle for a minute so he could wipe away some spit-up that was dribbling down his chin. "Hold on a sec, tiger. I'll give it back to you."

"Because you four have a lot of people who care about you, damn it Dean! Just because your stubborn daddy ran off last night don't make him right about this." Bobby tried with frustration in his voice.

Dean looked at Bobby with a surprised look on his face. "You can't be… ok with Sam and I…" He drifted off, unsure of what to say.

"We know you boys are doing the best you can and if this is what it all comes down to Dean… then that's what it is." Bobby explained hoping that Dean would understand his reasoning. "You two boys, especially your brother, have been through hell these past few months and if this is what you boys need to do to deal with it and help Abby and Nick then I'm not gonna stop you."

Dean swallowed as he fixed his gaze on his son, unsure of what to say. He hadn't been expecting to have Bobby's, or anyone's, blessing about this and the fact that they did made him feel like just maybe he had made the right choice. "You all done buddy?" He asked, clearing his throat to try and hide his reaction.

Bobby smirked as he watched Dean prop Nick up against his shoulder and begin to burp him. He hadn't been expecting to receive any kind of over the top response to his little speech… that just wasn't Dean's way but he knew that his 'nephew' appreciated it, the way Dean refused to meet his eye told him that.

~DW/SW~

About a week later, Dean was walking into the kitchen when he saw Sam stuffing something into the trash. "Hey Sammy," He called, happy to be home and tired from a long day's work.

"Oh, hi Dean…" Sam responded with a startled look on his face. Without another word, he closed the lid on the trashcan and then hurried down the hall.

_What's going on?_ Dean asked himself, wondering what had Sam so upset. He knew his brother was immensely worried, as he was, about what they were going to do. It had been a little over a week since the big fight and they hadn't heard a word from their dad. With each day that passed, Dean grew angrier with the man and Sam became more and more anxious about what the future held. Wanting to know what was up with his younger sibling, Dean walked over to the trashcan and sighed when he saw that Sam's forms for the GED class at the college were lying on top. _Son of a bitch!_ He cursed as he pulled them out of the trash and laid them down on the counter, smoothing out the creased corners.

Their original plan was to have Sam go to the class during the day so that their dad could watch Abby and Nick before he went off to work but with the man now gone, that wasn't possible. Still… there had to be other options, right? They still had Jim, Steven, and Laura nearby to help them out and Caleb and Bobby called at least once a day each. They hadn't heard a word from Josh and Dean, though frustrated, was alright with that. If the man didn't like the way he and Sam were choosing to do things then Dean didn't really want to talk to him.

Heading down the hall, Dean found Sam in the nursery putting some of the twins' clothes away. Seeing that the baby monitor was clipped to Sam's waistband, he figured that Abby and Nick were napping out in the living room.

"How was work?" Sam asked as he kept his back to his brother, trying to appear calm.

"Same as always," He answered as he stood in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. "What about your day?"

Sam shrugged. Laura had called him earlier to ask how the college plans were going and it had really upset him when he had realized that because of their dad running off, he could no longer take the GED classes. He no longer had someone to watch them during the day and the classes were, unfortunately, only being offered in the afternoon. Sam didn't feel okay hiring someone who wasn't family to come and watch them and besides, he highly doubted that they would even be able to afford that. "It was alright," He lied as he felt tears prick his eyes.

"Yeah? Wanna tell me what this was doing in the trash then?" Dean asked holding the stapled stack of papers up for Sam to see.

Sam sighed as he moved around the room, gathering up the dirty clothes and blankets. "I can't do it anymore Dean." He offered, his voice laced with frustration.

"Says who?" Dean asked, challenging his brother. He wasn't going to let their dad ruin Sam's chance at getting his life back. His brother had been through so much and to have this ripped away from him all because their dad couldn't handle it made Dean's anger sky rocket. He wasn't totally opposed to punching the man should he ever show up again.

"Says me alright, I can't leave them here alone!" Sam shouted back.

"I know Sam but…" Dean started before Sam interrupted him.

"But what Dean? I don't want some stranger watching them and we can't ask Jim to do it… he's already helped us out too much." Sam explained feeling angry with his dad for leaving him in this position.

"Why not?" Dean asked. "The classes are only for a few hours each day and I'm pretty sure Jim wouldn't mind. He loves those two. Or what about Laura?"

"She has class then." Sam answered, he had already thought of asking her but then he had remembered that she'd signed up for the same times that he had. "Look Dean, it's okay. I mean, it's been a week and we're doing fine like this so why try something new?" He offered trying to mask how much he did want to go to the classes. There was a big difference between what he wanted to do and what he needed to do to provide for his family… staying at home with the twins was more important, he felt. College could come later.

"No, we'll… we'll figure something out, alright?" Dean promised. He wasn't going to let anyone else take his brother's future away from him.

Sam nodded in the hopes that his brother would drop it if he just agreed to whatever Dean said. He didn't want to think about false hopes anymore. "What do you feel like for dinner?" He asked changing the topic.

Dean sighed when he realized what his brother was doing but he let him have his space. "It's up to you… I'm gonna go hop in the shower." He said before heading out of the nursery and into the small bathroom.

~DW/SW~

"So you're sure Jim's alright with watching 'em?" Sam asked the following evening as he and Dean sat on their bed giving both babies their bedtime feedings. The twins were slowly getting better at sleeping through the night but with them still waking up every three hours, it was obvious there was a ways to go. "Aw, that's daddy's little girl." He smiled as he pulled the bottle away when it seemed like Abby was done feeding.

Dean nodded. "He said that he'd be happy to spend some time with them." He reassured as he watched Nick's eyes begin to close. "I told you he would."

Sam bit his lip. "Ok then," He nodded and fixed the blanket around Abby. "You told him one o'clock?"

"Yup, he'll be here at a quarter till and you said that Laura and you were going together?" Dean asked, not wanting to leave Sam stranded anywhere.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, we figured that it would be easier that way." He explained.

_See, there's ways we can still get everything done _Dean thought optimistically. "Alright, little man, time for bed." Dean soothed as he stood from the bed and gently laid Nick down in the bassinet. He then returned to Sam's side to get Abby and place her beside her brother. "You going to bed now too or…?" Dean himself, wasn't quite ready to call it a night but he knew that Sam tended to be pretty exhausted by the end of the day. Dean figured that being at home with two tiny, demanding babies would do that to you.

Sam nodded though he felt too nervous to sleep.

"Ok, I'll be in later." Dean said before he headed out to the living room to watch some late night TV.

~DW/SW~

John was sitting on the edge of his motel bed, drinking yet another bottle from Jose's liqueur cabinet. This was the eighth afternoon in a row that he'd spent like this and John really wasn't in any hurry to put a stop to it. The constant hangover prevented him from thinking too much about what his boys had announced and the bit of disgust he felt at it, he tended to blame that on the dirty sheets and the countless beer cans and bottles lying around the room.

John was about to take another swig of the cool liquid when he accidentally knocked his wallet off of the nightstand. It fell and landed on the floor, the contents spilling out. "Shit," John slurred drunkenly as he bent down to pick it up. He misjudged the distance thanks to his current intoxication and stumbled face first onto the floor. It was only a few minutes later when he passed out cold.

~DW/SW~

"You guys be good for Grandpa Jim today alright?" Sam asked the next morning after he'd finished getting ready to go to the college with Laura. He smiled at his two children who were lying in their bouncer seats, both in happy good moods. Leaning forward slightly, he fixed Abby's sock and then began to play with her. Watching as Abby cooed back at him, Sam felt tears prick his eyes. He had never imagined in a million years that he would ever love these two as much as he did. They made him so incredibly happy and proud and he wanted to give them everything that he'd never had. _That's why you're going to take these classes_ he heard Dean tell him, remembering the conversation that the two of them had had a few nights ago. Dean had finally made him see that these classes were important because without them, he wouldn't be able to get a job as not many places hired people who didn't have their high school diploma.

"These two little monsters? They're always good." Jim smiled as he came to sit beside Sam.

Sam laughed a little. "Nah, they're just always on their best behavior when you're here." He joked before a somewhat awkward silence fell over them. This was the first time since the Christmas fiasco that he'd been alone with the man and knowing Jim's values, Sam was a little nervous of what the pastor thought of him now.

Jim watched how Sam swallowed and looked nervously at the clock that showed that they still had a good fifteen minutes till Laura was supposed to be there. "They'll be fine Sam, I took care of you quite often when you weren't much bigger than them." Jim reassured.

Sam nodded. "I know." He said though he still felt a little nervous about leaving the twins home alone with someone else. "Thanks for coming over to watch them. I know that you have a life outside of helping us."

"Nonsense," Jim stated as he shook his head. "You four are family and besides, they're my grandchildren. I'm supposed to watch them when you're not around so I can spoil them. Isn't that right sweetheart?" Jim asked Abby as he gently tickled her belly.

_Dean was right. He really does love them_ Sam thought to himself, a relieved and grateful smile falling onto his face. "Still, thank you." Jim had been the one to reassure him several months ago that his standing in the family wouldn't change and it looked as if he was doing it again.

"It's my pleasure Sam, really. You four mean a lot to me." Jim smiled as he reached over and gently patted Sam on the shoulder just as they heard the doorbell ring.

~DW/SW~

John awoke several hours later, internally cursing as the bright light from the lamp beside the bed shone into his eyes. "Would someone turn the damn light off?" He yelled into the empty room. When the lights remained on, John growled and clumsily got to his feet. "That's better," He mumbled after the lights were dimmed down before he felt his stomach twist.

After racing to the bathroom to empty his churning stomach, John stumbled back out into the room and promptly collapsed on the nearest bed. _Frickin' a_ he thought when he heard his cell start to ring. Pulling the pillow over his head to try and drown out some of the noise, John let his answering machine pick it up instead. Once his phone indicated that he had one message waiting, John rolled back over onto his stomach and picked his phone up. He groaned when he saw that it was from his boss. _Shit_ he thought when he remembered that today was supposed to be his first day back from the Christmas Holidays. Figuring that he should probably listen to it to see if he still had a job or not, John pressed one.

"John, it's Ralph and it's a quarter after seven. Where the hell are you? You were supposed to be here half an hour ago! Look, maybe something happened and you didn't call in but call me so I at least know if you're coming or not." His boss yelled through the phone.

The message ended and John was about to redial his boss' number when he felt a huge pile of guilt hit him. Looking back at him was the picture that had fallen out of his wallet when he accidentally dropped it the other day. "I'm sorry," He apologized as he bent down to pick up the glossy photo that showed him holding two smiling babies. John felt bad for running off like he had but he had known that he needed to get out of there and now that he'd been gone a while, he wasn't sure he could go back or that his boys would even want him back. _What do I do?_ He wondered silently to himself.

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Hey! So how was that? I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I will try to update soon. The next chapter of 'Family Matters' should be up in a day or two as well. Thanks again! :)


	39. Chapter 39

Hey guys, here's the next chapter... that is if anyone is still reading. I did get my computer fixed but then somehow I got another virus - I swear I don't go to risky sites or anything so I don't know why this keeps happening... I'm hoping to God that it doesn't break again.

Anyways, thanks for being so patient! And I would love to hear what you guys have to say about this chapter. Provided my computer lasts more than 24 hours, I should have another update for you guys very soon. Thanks again! :)

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Dean was pacing the length of the living room, gently rocking Nick in his arms as he tried to get the little boy to fall asleep. "C'mon little guy, its bedtime." Dean told him as he stifled a yawn of his own. He had been pulling double shifts for the past several days, trying to pull in as much extra money as he could and it was taking its toll on him.

"He's still not falling asleep?" Sam asked as he walked into the living room and over to where Dean had stopped.

Dean nodded. "Yeah but at least he's stopped screaming… is Abs asleep?" He asked in a quiet tone, trying to keep Nick calm.

"Yeah, she had a busy day with Grandpa Jim." Sam explained, smiling softly. Jim now came over every afternoon to spend time with the twins and watch them while Sam went to class and it was easy to tell that the old man absolutely loved it. "Grandpa said you were a happy boy today so what's all the fuss about now?" He asked as he laid a gentle hand on Nick's back.

Dean smiled softly. "Jim's really having fun, isn't he? Ah, that's a boy," _Finally_ Dean thought, relieved when Nick's breathing slowed down and the little boy drifted off to sleep. Carefully, Dean gently handed Nick over to Sam. They both let out little nervous laughs when he remained asleep. "I'm just gonna lock up and then I'll be in."

Sam nodded and then walked down the hall to lay Nick in his crib.

Dean was just closing the blinds in the living room when he heard a truck coming up the driveway. _What the hell?_ He asked himself as he reached over to the cabinet that housed the TV and the .45 that they had hidden there. Usually, Bobby was there at night too but he had needed to get back to his junkyard business and tonight was their first official night alone.

As he peeked out the window, Dean heard the engine shut off and a car door open. A few minutes later, a figure headed up the steps and Dean realized who it was. "Dad?" He blurted out before he unlocked the door and stepped out onto the porch. "Dad, what the hell are you doing here?" He asked stunned that the man was standing in front of him.

John stood on the porch, unsure of what to say to his oldest after running away and hiding out for a week. "I'm sorry…" He started to say.

"You're… you're sorry?" Dean asked with shock in his voice before he shook his head and pulled his fist back, hitting his dad square in the jaw. "You son of a bitch!"

"Guess I deserved that," John muttered as he picked himself up off the porch and wiped a hand across his lower jaw.

"Where the fucking hell have you been?" Dean asked, now with anger in his voice. "And how the hell could you just take off like that?" In a million years Dean would never have even considered running off like that. He had responsibilities to think about and people who were counting on him. "Aren't you even going to say anything?" Dean asked when John remained silent.

"What do you want me to say Dean?" John responded. He felt a ton of guilt and frustration at the fact that he had just upped and left for a week. He knew that he hadn't responded in the best way but he hadn't known what else to do other than to leave.

Dean shook his head. "How could you do that? We needed you! And in case you forgot, you left Abby and Nick behind too. And not to mention the fact that you pretty much abandoned Sam." Dean continued. He wanted his dad to know just how mad he was. "I mean, because of you Sam was ready to give up on going back to school and if it wasn't for Jim stepping up to the plate then he probably would have had to."

John hung his head as he listened to Dean, hearing his son's anger and he knew that he was right to feel that way. He had mixed feelings when he heard Dean mention that Jim had been there for them when he hadn't. He was grateful in a way that his sons still had people they could count on… he just wished he had been one of them. "I didn't mean to…" He managed to get out before Dean interrupted him.

"You didn't mean to? How the hell do you not mean it when you run off and disappear for a week?" Dean asked feeling absolutely flabbergasted at his dad's excuse. "Did you know that I've been pulling extra shifts because we didn't know if or when you were gonna come back and there is no way in hell that I'm letting us be evicted from this place. And another thing dad, I'm doing what's best for my family, something you should have done a longass time ago." And with that, Dean stomped back inside, slamming the door behind him.

~DW/SW~

Having heard some yelling coming from outside and then the sound of the front door slamming shut, Sam decided to climb out of bed and see what was going on. "Dean, what was all that?" He asked coming to stand beside his brother. Dean had his back to him and was leaning against the kitchen counters.

"Looks like dad managed to find some time in his busy schedule to come see us, isn't that great?" Dean bit out with anger and sarcasm clear in his voice as he turned around.

Sam nodded, biting his lip as he leaned to be able to see out onto the porch. He watched as their dad took a seat on one of the spare chairs they'd put out there. "What did he say?" Sam asked, unsure of how he felt about the man deciding to drop by like it was a casual Sunday visit.

"He said he was sorry as if that's supposed to fix everything," Dean ground out. He was a father himself now and the thought of suddenly just up and leaving Abby and Nick behind made him sick. He didn't understand how their father could have done that to Sam and him and he wasn't ready to forgive the man just yet.

"Oh," Sam responded quietly. "Well um… is he going to come in?"

Dean shrugged. "Don't know, don't care. I'm going to bed, I've got work in the morning." He replied before he stalked down the hall leaving Sam alone in the kitchen.

~DW/SW~

Sighing, Sam ran a hand through his hair and then hesitantly made his way out to the front porch. A part of him wanted to invite their dad in but the bigger part of him wanted to yell at the man until he got through his thick Winchester skull. "Dad?" He started as he paused in the doorway.

John's head shot up when he heard Sam calling to him and he turned to be able to look at his youngest. "Ah, hey Sam," John said before they fell into a very uncomfortable silence.

"What made you decide to come back? What… did Jim, Jack, and Jose get sick of your company?" Sam asked bitterly.

Swallowing the defensive retort that was building inside him, John remained silent. "Where's Dean?" He asked several minutes later.

Sam scoffed. "Do you have any idea how much you hurt him?" Sam asked as he stepped out onto the porch and walked over to where his dad was sitting. "Do you dad?" He repeated, leaning against the banister.

"I know running off wasn't the way I should have handled things but what was I supposed to do Sam? You boys dropped a bomb on us and then expected everyone to congratulate you and I'm sorry but…" John said before Sam cut him off.

"We expected our dad to help us!" He argued.

"I was scared Sam!" John yelled as he stood and stalked to the other side of the deck.

"What about us dad? You don't think I'm scared… hell, I've been scared shitless for the past year!" Sam screamed as tears formed in his eyes. "Do you remember when you told me that all new parents were afraid of messing up?" Sam asked, wishing that he had that dad back instead of the one who chose to run and hide when things didn't go exactly to plan.

John nodded. He had actually thought that there might be a chance for his and Sam's relationship to be repaired that day… now, he wasn't so sure. _Yeah, well it's your own damn fault_ he internally lectured.

"Well, that's exactly how Dean and I feel. I mean, Dean's not going to admit to it but I know him better than anyone else dad and he's freakin' terrified and he needed you. We both did." Sam continued. "And another thing, Dean didn't force me into anything. If it was anyone's idea it was mine. I mean, since this whole thing started he's the one that's been there for every bit of it." One of the main reasons why Sam was so angry with his father was the way he had treated Dean. Sam knew that his brother would never force him into doing anything and if he wanted to, he could call off this arrangement and Dean would do it. Dean had been the one who had carried him out of Steven's house, found him when he ran away and convinced him to come back home. He was the one who had helped Sam through the initial shock of the rape and he was the one who had been there when Abby and Nick were born. "He deserves way more credit than that and you know it." With that, Sam stood and returned to the warmth of their house. He silently wondered if he had just scared their dad off again or if he would see the man in the morning. He wasn't sure which option sounded more appealing.

~DW/SW~

The next morning, both Sam and Dean woke early and were glad that both babies were still sleeping. Quietly, they padded out to the living room and found that their dad was no longer there. "Wonder how long he'll be gone for this time?" Dean muttered as he poured himself a bowl of cereal.

Ignoring Dean's bad mood, Sam made himself his own breakfast. "When's your shift today?" He asked.

"I'm working till closing tonight," He replied before a yawn slipped out of him.

"Oh, okay…" Sam never really liked it when Dean worked till closing, especially what with him pulling all of these extra shifts lately. He preferred to have Dean home before dark fell as they both knew what kind of creatures lurked around at night but he knew why Dean was working so hard so he kept his opinions to himself.

"Shit," Dean cursed when he looked at the clock and realized that he was supposed to be at work in ten minutes.

"Go, I'll take care of her." Sam reassured when they heard Abby wake up and begin to cry.

"Thanks." He called as he grabbed his work vest and rushed out the door.

~DW/SW~

"So we had an… unexpected visitor last night," Sam started as he, Jim, and Laura stood in the living room watching as Nick and Abby slept content in their bouncers.

"Who?" Jim asked concerned but trying not to be too worried. Surely, they would have called if it had been someone wanting to cause trouble.

"Dad," Sam answered as he wondered what the Pastor would think about the man showing up randomly late at night.

"Where is he?" Jim asked since he hadn't seen John's truck in the driveway when he'd pulled up a little while ago.

"We don't know… he was gone this morning when we woke up." Sam explained as he kneeled down and fixed Nick's blanket a little.

Jim shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry he's not taking this well Sam," Jim apologized knowing that even with his, Bobby's and Caleb's support both boys still needed their father.

Sam shrugged. "Honestly, I'm more pissed at him for accusing Dean of forcing me into doing something that I didn't want to do."

"That's understandable Sam, your brother's a good man." Jim stated with sincerity in his voice.

Sam smiled softly. "He is. I just wish that dad could see that Dean hasn't done anything this entire time other than be there when I need him… I mean, with everything that's happened, I just thought that…" Sam shook his head and drifted off, unsure of how to explain exactly how he felt. Sam knew what it was like to be forced into something and Dean had never come even close to doing that.

"We should probably get going," Laura interjected a moment later after she'd looked at the clock on the wall and realized that they were running a bit behind.

Sam nodded. "Yeah okay," He kissed both of his children on the forehead and thanked Jim before he and Laura were on their way.

~DW/SW~

"See, that's better now, isn't it?" Jim asked as he kept one hand on Nick's chest as he used the other to throw the dirty diaper away. Smiling softly at his grandson, Jim picked the little boy up and propped him against his shoulder and headed down the hall. He was just heating up a couple of bottles for the two of them when he heard the doorbell ring. Checking to make sure that both were okay in their bouncers for a few minutes, he walked to answer the door, an angry look appearing on his face when he saw who it was.

~DW/SW~

"Dean, you sure you're feeling alright man? I mean, you don't look so good." Dean's co-worker, Tyler, mentioned as they walked side by side down the plumbing aisle.

"I'm fine," Dean ground out though the truth was that he had been feeling a bit extra tired today. He just put it down to the fact that he'd been working a lot lately and what with getting to bed extra late last night probably hadn't helped.

"If you say so," Tyler responded though he wasn't sure he completely believed the other man.

"Look, if it'll make you feel better I'll take a break after we get this order done with, alright?" Dean relented as he could still feel his co-worker's eyes on him.

"Sounds good," Tyler smiled as he pulled his work gloves out of his pocket and slid them on.

~DW/SW~

"What do you want John, the boys aren't home?" Jim asked as he stood, blocking the doorway.

"Can I come in?" John asked. With how angry his two children had been last night, he had figured that maybe it might be better to come back in the morning after everyone had had a good night sleep. "Please Jim?"

After a moment, Jim sighed and nodded as he stepped back to allow John entrance. "Just so you know John, just because I let you in doesn't mean I'm not mad as hell at you right now." Jim started. He didn't want John to think that he was going to let him off the hook after his latest stunt.

"I know Jim but you're not the one I'm trying to make amends with." John said with irritation in his voice. His boys had announced they were suddenly a couple and he was the bad guy? What, was he supposed to throw them a frickin' wedding or something?

Jim's fists clenched at his sides. "This isn't some hotel where you can come and go as you please John." Jim said slowly, his tone matching John's. "And for the record, I don't care if I'm not the one you're trying to make amends with. Sam and Dean are pretty much like sons to me and I swear on the Good Lord's name John, if you ever hurt them like you have now again, I will see to it that you are rightfully punished."

John turned around and glared at Jim. "They're my children Jim, not yours! So don't you ever threaten to…" John was furious that someone else thought they could be a better parent to his children than he could be.

"Don't I ever threaten to what John? Be there for them when you can't! If you're really that concerned, then why don't you start acting it?" Jim asked making John take a step back; this was quite easily the angriest he'd ever seen the Pastor.

"I was trying Jim, I was but just them… and how am I supposed to deal with that?" John asked as he wondered how the other man could be so calm about this.

Jim sighed as he tried to calm down so that they wouldn't wake Abby and Nick up. Cranky babies wouldn't exactly be helpful right about now. "You just are John, they're your children and I know that this freaks you out. That's not unexpected but think about it, are they hurting anyone by doing this?" Jim asked.

"They're not supposed to be in any kind of relationship with each other than one where Dean beats Sam up and I'm supposed to ground them!" John replied even as he thought that that sounded way too normal for their lifestyle.

"You didn't answer my question." Jim said as he tried to make the same point to John that Caleb had made to both himself and Bobby.

A few moments of silence passed between them before John reluctantly shook his head no. "Still, Jim if anyone ever found out…" John sighed.

"How could they prove it John? No one here knew Sam and Dean before a few months ago… they'll be safe." Jim promised.

~DW/SW~

Tyler walked over to the cart that he and Dean were using and continued to stack it with boxes of shower tiles. "Last one man," He called as he wiped his gloves off on his jeans.

Dean nodded, relieved that they were almost done. He wasn't sure what was going on but all of a sudden he felt exhausted.

"Dean?" Tyler shouted when he saw Dean pinch the bridge of his nose and close his eyes.

"I'm fine!" Dean shouted, slowly getting irritated as his tired and bad mood worsened. Growling to himself, he reached for the box cursing when he felt his foot slip off the ladder rung.

~DW/SW~

A few moments after both John and Jim had calmed down, the phone rang. "Winchester residence?" Jim said after he'd picked up the receiver. John watched as Jim frowned and nodded solemnly. "I'll be there soon." He said before hanging up.

"Jim, what's going on?" John asked as he started to get worried.

"That was Dean's supervisor, Tom; apparently he had an accident at work." Jim explained as he began to get the twins ready to go on a car ride. "Come on you two, let's go see how your papa's doing." He muttered, not missing the way John stiffened when he referred to Dean as papa.

~DW/SW~

"I trust you won't run off and leave these two alone while I go see where Dean is?" Jim asked once he and John had arrived at the local hospital.

"Jim," John gritted out. "Dean's my son, I should go…"

"Yes and I highly doubt he's going to want to see you right now." Jim interrupted. "I'll be back." He said before he headed over to the nurses' station. A few minutes later, Jim was being led down the hall to where Dean was waiting.

~DW/SW~

Forty minutes later, Dean and Jim rounded the corner of the waiting room to see John feeding Abby a bottle. Dean leaned heavily on the hospital-supplied crutch as he glared at his dad. "I twisted my ankle dad, I'm not dying of cancer. You didn't have to make the trip." He spit, still feeling upset and bitter with the man.

"Dean, I know I messed up son but are you gonna keep hanging this over my head for the rest of our lives?" He asked as he stood, being careful to not dislodge the bottle Abby was drinking from.

Dean was quiet. "I don't know dad… all I know is that I hope to hell I would have reacted a lot differently than you did if it were my kids." He said as he glanced at Abby and Nick. He never wanted to let them down and definitely be there more for them than his own dad had been there for him and Sam.

Choosing to ignore the tension between Dean and John, Jim stepped forward. "C'mon son, let's get you home." He said as he picked up Nick's carrier and led the way out to his car, hoping to hell that a twisted ankle was all Dean would have after a few days with his father.

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Hey! So how was the chapter? Thanks for reading and I hope that you will leave me a note! Thanks again! :)


	40. Chapter 40

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter. My computer is still being a little iffy so I'm posting this from my mom's computer so I don't know if it will format right or not... with any luck it will. Also, I'm going on a camping trip with my cousins tomorrow so I'll start working on the next chapter and post the next chapter of 'Family Matters' when I get back next week.

I tried to make the progression of Sam and Dean forgiving John to be realistic but I'm not totally sure that I like the way it turned out, hopefully it's not too bad. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading! I look forward to hearing from all of you! :)

* * *

Sam laughed softly as he and Laura pulled into his driveway, she had been telling him how one of her professors had been trying to make the point of not juggling too many things at once when he had tripped and dropped everything he was holding… talk about practicing what you preach. Sam was quite glad that Laura was attending the same school he was even though they only had one class together. The creative writing class they took together was filled with about twenty or so people and Sam was very relieved that she was in it with him. In the past, he had been outgoing and liked meeting new people… growing up the way he did kind of encouraged that but now, he was more on the quiet side, keeping more to himself. Sam figured that he was like that for a couple of reasons mainly because he wasn't sure how he would explain Abby and Nick and he wasn't even sure if he wanted to introduce them to too many new people just yet. After all, they were still pretty little and he felt immensely protective over them. On the other hand, there were still the effects from the rape by the demon too; one of them being that he wasn't all that comfortable with strangers. While he wasn't in the same depressed condition he had been after it had happened, he knew that it still affected him and probably always would.

"Hmm, yeah well I guess that's what happens." A curious look formed on his face when he saw that the Impala was parked in its normal spot in front of the garage. "That's odd," He said wondering what Dean was doing home so early. _Did something happen?_ He thought to himself knowing that Dean shouldn't have been home until past midnight and glancing at the clock on the dashboard, he saw that it was only five-forty in the evening.

"What's odd?" Laura asked as she turned the car off and pocketed the keys. "The Impala's here… I thought Dean had work until late tonight." Sam explained before he grabbed his books and climbed out of Laura's car ready to go see his two little monsters. He always missed them while he was in class and he loved having them to come home to.

"Oh," Laura shrugged, not sure if they should be worried or not. "I'm sure everything's fine." She tried before they both climbed the front steps and Sam used his key to let them in.

"Jim, I'm home," Sam called as he deposited his things by the door and hung his heavy winter coat up. Heading further into the house, he could hear the television on and since there weren't any wails echoing down the hall, he figured that Abby and Nick were either sleeping or eating… either way they were currently content enough to not feel the need to hold their own concert.

Hearing Sam and Laura enter the house, Dean pushed himself up to be able to see down the hall and towards the front door a little more. "Hey Sammy, hi Laura," Dean greeted from where he was sitting on the couch, internally smirking as he knew that Sam would be surprised to see him.

"Hi Dean," Laura smiled distractedly as she passed him and headed into the kitchen to get something to drink. Normally, she would have made a beeline for her niece and nephew but she could see that they were busy and didn't want to disturb them. She'd say 'hi' in a minute.

"Hey Dean, what are you doing home so early?" He asked before he noticed that Dean's left leg was propped up on pillows on the coffee table. "What did you do?" Sam demanded as he made his way over to his brother.

"It's worse than it looks…" Dean said, trying to calm Sam down before he got too overworked about it. After all, he'd gotten far worse injuries when they were hunting… a sprained ankle wasn't anything to worry about.

"That doesn't answer my question Dean. What did you do to yourself?" Sam repeated as he stood in front of his brother with his arms crossed and an expectant look on his face.

"I ah… I kind of fell off of a ladder at work," Dean started, flinching away when Sam swatted him on the arm. "Hey watch it, the munchkin's eating!" He looked down to be sure that Abby hadn't been disturbed, satisfied to find the little girl still greedily sucking on her bottle.

"How can you tell me that it's okay and then say you fell off a ladder at work? Please tell me you didn't break anything!" Sam continued, worried for both his brother's health and their finances.

Dean shook his head. "Nah, it's just sprained but I gotta use a stupid crutch for the next week or so." Dean answered, hoping that that would calm his brother down. "But c'mon Sam, you know we've both had worse."

"Yeah, I know." Sam agreed, glad that those days were behind him. With now having Abby and Nick to think about, Sam wasn't sure he could ever take those kinds of risks again. The thought of leaving the two of them… it just wasn't an option he was even willing to consider or think about. _Unlike dad_ he thought to himself. _You used to have plans to want to leave them, remember?_ "Don't scare me like that!" Sam huffed before he took a seat on the couch beside where Nick was lying, surrounded by pillows, fast asleep with his pacifier still in his mouth.

Nick was swaddled up in the blanket that Laura had bought for him right before the twins had been born and Sam thought he looked absolutely precious. Carefully, Sam picked Nick up and held him cradled in his arms. "Shh, hush Nicky, it's alright," Sam pressed a soft kiss to Nick's temple before he ran a hand over Nick's head, brushing back the silky soft strands of hair.

"Sorry," Dean replied, smiling a little. Gently, he repositioned Abby so she was lying on his chest and then he turned back to face Sam. "How was class?" He asked, beginning to burp his daughter. They never really had much of a chance to talk in the evenings since Sam was usually asleep by the time Dean came home from work so he hadn't really been able to ask just what he thought of the college classes so far.

"Good, how have they been today?" Sam asked smiling at the sight of Abby asleep on Dean's chest. The two of them really did make a very cute pair. _She's not the only cute one here_ Sam thought to himself as he carefully tilted his head to watch Nick. He was amazed at how much he loved hearing their little breathing sounds and watching all of the movements that they made… the two of them were easily the best entertainment around.

"Well ah first Nick decided to take the car out for a joyride and then Abby…" Dean laughed when Sam rolled his eyes at him. "They've been good, doing all of the stuff that they're supposed to do."

"I know they're your kids but don't try to make them misbehave when they're not even walking yet," Sam smirked with a sparkle in his eye as he shared a smile with his brother.

"They're Winchesters Sammy... they're bound to keep us on our toes." Dean responded knowing that if either Nick or Abby were like him, then he and Sam were going to have their hands full.

"I'm a Winchester and I didn't get into half the amount of trouble that you did." Sam defended, pouting a little.

"Yeah well we'll see," Dean said drifting off when Abby let out a little cry. "Shh honey, papa's got you." He cooed softly as he reached over to the end table and picked up her pacifier. "Is this what you want?" He asked as he gently gave her the small purple object, smiling when it did indeed calm her down.

Sam shrugged as he began to relax a bit now that he knew that Dean was only slightly hurt and not critically injured. "Fine… so I take it dad hasn't been here at all today then?" He asked since he hadn't seen their dad's truck in the driveway and he wasn't home. _Would he have come if he knew Dean were hurt?_ Sam wondered.

"No, he's here… he went out to get dinner." Dean supplied with a bit of an indifferent tone that Sam instantly knew Dean was using to try and cover up any hurt or anger he was still feeling. Sam watched as his brother began to run a hand over Abby's back, adjusting the long sleeve white shirt she was wearing that said 'Daddy's Girl' on it.

"Oh," Sam noted, unsure of what to make of that. A moment later, the front door opened and John came in carrying two large pizza boxes. He faltered a little when he noticed Sam sitting on the couch. He hadn't spoken to or seen his son since the previous night when Sam had lectured him about the way he had treated Dean. Sparing a quick glance at his oldest, John tried to determine if Sam was telling the truth or not. _Why would he lie about that?_ John asked himself.

"Ah, dinner's here," He said before he continued on his way to the kitchen.

"What do you want? I'll get it for you." Sam said as he stood from the couch, careful not to wake Nick. Walking over to the bassinet they had in the living room, he gently laid his son down in the portable crib, moving one of the stuffed animals to the other side of the crib.

"Oh, okay, thanks. Two slices of pepperoni?" Dean replied, grinning as his stomach growled. "Alright Abs, it's papa's turn to eat." Dean said a few moments later as he passed Abby over to Sam and took one of the plates he was carrying. "Thanks Sammy."

"Welcome," Sam smiled as he took a seat on the couch beside his brother. "So I was thinking…" Sam started, turning more to face his brother. He smiled when Jim walked out into the living room and took a seat on one of the wingback chairs they had. Sam realized a moment later that their dad hadn't passed through the living room again and was probably eating alone in the kitchen, feeling a bit bad about his dad's isolation.

"That's not surprising," Dean teased. "About what?"

"Your birthday's coming up… anything you wanna do or anywhere you wanna go?" Sam asked wanting to make sure that Dean's birthday was spent the way he wanted it to be spent. He felt like it was the least he could do given everything his brother had done for him. After all, it was time Dean had a day that was all about him.

Dean shrugged since normally his birthday wasn't really a big deal. Because really, when he was younger they didn't normally have funds to have a birthday celebration. His typical birthday present back then had been a drawing from his little brother. "Ah, I dunno… were you thinking of something?" Dean asked, curious since Sam was being so adamant.

Now it was Sam's turn to shrug. "We could go out to dinner or something?" He suggested hoping that Dean wouldn't shoot that idea down.

"Yeah sure, if you want to." Dean agreed.

~DW/SW~

"Where are you off to now?" Sam asked when he saw his dad walk over to the front door with his car keys in hand. He had been sitting at the kitchen table doing homework for the past half hour and watching the twins while Dean took his own shower. Abby and Nick were both dressed in their pajamas having already had their baths and were lying contentedly in their car seats before Sam and Dean put them to bed.

"I have to go to work," John explained, feeling grateful that his boss hadn't fired him though he wasn't sure why the man hadn't done just that. When he had had his auto shop, if one of his employees hadn't shown up for a week straight without calling once, they would have definitely been fired.

"Oh okay, well then I guess we'll see you later." He said, offering his dad the tiniest of smiles.

John nodded. "Yeah, I'll be home in a few hours." He replied before he walked over to where Sam was sitting. Stopping in front of Abby and Nick's car seats, he bent down to give each of his grandchildren affectionate tummy-rubs.

Sam's smile widened a little when he watched his dad say goodbye to the twins. "Say night to Granddad guys," He added.

John laughed a little before he stopped and looked at his youngest fondly. "Thanks for giving me another chance Sam." He said softly, surprising his son. That was not what Sam had expected to hear.

Sam put his pen down and looked back up at his dad, shock written across his face. "Thanks for coming back to us." He responded sincerely because no matter how mad he was at the man, John was still a very important part of all of their lives. _Just please don't forget about Dean_ Sam silently prayed as he doubted that the two of them had talked yet.

John nodded a tad before he smiled again and then was on his way.

~DW/SW~

Later that night Sam yawned as he walked into his and Dean's bedroom, smiling when he saw that Dean was ready to go to bed too. His brother had been working extremely hard lately and Sam knew that he was exhausted. "I bet you're glad you don't have work tomorrow." He said as he crawled into the bed, cuddling up next to Dean.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, I am but still… it kind of sucks to have to take a few days off because I fell off a freakin' ladder." Dean grumped.

"I'm sure Abby and Nick will like having their papa home." Sam said knowing that both Abby and Nick, even though they were only two months old, absolutely adored their Papa. He swore that every time the two of them saw Dean enter a room, they got excited. Sam was pretty damn certain that that affection was a two way street.

Dean smiled. "Yeah, I'll give Jim a few days off." Dean wrapped an arm around his brother pulling Sam flush to his chest. They had shared a bed for so long now that waking up and feeling Sam's solid form next to him was normal and on the off occasion that Sam was out of bed whenever Dean woke up, it always sent a spark of worry through him. "Alright, bed time now."

Sam laughed a little. "Whoever thought I'd see the day when badass Dean Winchester went to bed at an actually decent hour." Sam teased even as he laid his head on the pillow and closed his own eyes.

"Yeah well that's what happens I guess when you work nine to five and have two little monsters who are demanding attention." Dean reasoned.

"That would be true." Sam agreed knowing that taking care of Abby and Nick could be quite tiring. He loved them but damn if they weren't high maintenance and the truth be told, he was quite tired himself. "Hmm, night…" Sam murmured before he drifted off to sleep.

~DW/SW~

Dean smiled the next morning when he woke and remembered he didn't have to go to work. He had been working so hard lately that having a few days off was going to be a nice break. Granted, he wished he hadn't tripped and fallen off of a ladder like an idiot but still… he'd take what he could get. He knew that spending some time with Sam and the kids was going to be good. Tilting his head downward, he smiled when he noticed that Sam was still fast asleep. _Wonder what dad would say if he came in here and saw that there was only one bed now_ Dean thought to himself. He and Jim had taken the second bed out the previous week knowing that it was just taking up space as no one ever used it anymore. Being not one to sleep in, Dean carefully maneuvered himself out from underneath Sam and then crept down the hall wincing when he accidentally put a bit of weight on his ankle.

After emptying his bladder, Dean made his way out to the kitchen and turned the kettle on. A few minutes later, he heard feet pattering down the hall and sighed. It was too early in the morning to have to deal with his dad yet. Their dad hadn't really said much of anything to him since he'd been back and Dean hadn't gone out of his way to try to start a conversation with the man either.

"Morning," Sam greeted as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Walking over to the cupboard that had the mugs, Sam smiled softly as he laid a hand on the small of Dean's back. "How long have you been up?" He inquired.

"Not long… did I wake you up?" Dean asked as he filled his coffee cup with the hot liquid, stiffening just the slightest when he felt Sam's hand on his back. _Nice timing to be affectionate Sammy_ Dean thought to himself as his eyes flicked towards the hallway. He was more nervous about their dad walking in and seeing the extra bit of affection than he was about the action itself.

Sam shook his head. "No," He lied. Sam had felt the bed dip and he had rolled over, waking up when he realized that Dean wasn't next to him. Granted, Sam was used to Dean being gone early in the morning by now but since he knew that Dean had the next several days off, he wanted to make sure that everything was okay.

Grabbing his mug, Dean walked over to the kitchen table and took a seat, wrapping both of his hands around the warm ceramic object.

"Morning Sam… ah, morning Dean," John said just as Sam took a seat at the table beside his brother.

"Morning dad," Sam greeted before he stole a quick look in his brother's direction, seeing how Dean had turned to face out the window instead of where their father was standing.

"Morning," Dean eventually offered before he took a gulp of his coffee.

Sighing at seeing how Dean was reacting to him, John ran a hand through his hair and walked over to the kitchen table. Wondering what exactly he was going to say and just how the two of them would react, he pulled out one of the spare chairs and took a seat. "Dean, I'm sorry… I… shouldn't have jumped on you like I did." John started.

Dean was quiet and he still didn't turn to look at his dad. "How could you think I'd do that dad? My whole life you've drilled into me "take care of Sammy" or "Sammy comes first". Why would you think I'd suddenly stop doing that?" Dean asked wanting to know why their dad had automatically blamed him for his and Sam's newly developing relationship.

John shook his head. "I don't know… it just came as a shock and my first thought was…" He managed to get out before Dean cut him off.

"That Dean raped Sam, that was the first thing you thought of? Thanks dad, thanks," Dean bit out before he felt Sam slide one of his hands over to squeeze Dean's own hand. He watched as their dad observed their behavior with a slightly freaked out expression painted on his face.

"I didn't mean to imply that you had… done that Dean, I just… I didn't know what to think." John explained, watching how Sam squeezed Dean's hand trying to calm him down. _Damn it boys_ John thought to himself before he remembered the conversation he'd had with Jim. _They're not hurting each other._

"Look dad, I get that this is weird for you…" Dean sighed before he turned to smile softly at his brother. "But Abby and Nick and Sam… they're the three best things that have ever happened to me and I want to make sure that I do everything I can for them. And I'm not asking you to hug us and congratulate us but don't go running in the opposite direction like we're some kind of freakin' leper either, alright?" Dean asked.

John nodded knowing that the two kids his Mary had provided him with were probably the best things he would ever accomplish in this life.

"I've been taking care of other people's families for a long time dad… now, it's time that I take care of my own and you're welcome to be a part of that but if this, us, is too much for you then don't let the door hit your ass on the way out." Dean finished with a determined look in his eye. He wanted his dad to make sure that he knew just who

Dean would choose on any given day. The days of blindly following his father around and never questioning anything that the man said or did were over.

"I don't want to cut you boys out of my life Dean and I'm not even going to consider asking you to walk away from those two," John replied as he glanced down the hall. "Or your brother… I don't want you to. I'm glad that if I've taught you boys anything, it's that families important… I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry for the way I reacted and if you still want me around, then I'll do my best to accept this." He offered even though he knew that there was a fair chance that he would always feel somewhat awkward about how things had turned out.

Sam smiled softly, glad that the three of them had been able to work things out and fists weren't used a second time as he could see a faint bruise on his dad's cheek and knew that that was most likely from Dean. Sparing a glance at his older brother, he knew Dean was relieved too. "That's all we ask." Sam said before he stood to prepare Abby and Nick's morning bottles knowing that the two of them should wake up shortly and he was sure that they would be hungry.

~DW/SW~

"So you said that Bobby and Caleb are meeting us there?" Dean asked as he finished getting ready. He was dressed in a black button down shirt and a pair of dark jeans since Sam had made them reservations at a nicer restaurant in town for dinner tonight to celebrate his 21st birthday.

Sam nodded. "Laura and Steven'll be there too." He added as he zipped up his own pair of jeans, glad that he could finally fit back into them. Sam had a little bit more baby weight to lose but he had been able to shed the majority of it and he was quite happy that his wardrobe was now expanded past things that had adjustable waistbands.

"Are the munchkins ready?" Dean asked Sam a moment later as he came to stand next to his brother. A week had passed since he and their dad had finally had their talk and while he could tell that their dad was still far from okay with it, things were certainly less tense. As for him and Sam, they were taking things extremely slow which Dean wasn't sure if that was actually a good or bad thing.

Sam shook his head no. "They've had baths and their diapers changed but we need to get 'em dressed." Sam answered smiling as he looked over at where Abby and Nick were lying in their bassinet by his and Dean's bed.

"Ok, ah what do you want them to wear?" Dean asked since Sam was normally the one in charge of choosing their outfits for the day.

"Um, can you put Abby in that pink onesie that's on the bed and ah… her white pants. And the matching jacket?" He asked.

Dean nodded as he picked his little girl up and laid her down on his bed unzipping the red Santa pajamas she was currently wearing. "Apparently daddy thinks pinks the color of the day," Dean muttered softly to his daughter as he gently eased the pink bodysuit over her head and then he worked on getting her arms through the sleeves. "You know it would be a lot easier kiddo if you didn't move so much." He told her since she had started fussing.

Sam poked his head out from the bathroom where he was finishing getting ready. "Want some help?" He called.

Dean shook his head no. "Nah, I've got it… don't worry." He finished zipping up the jacket Sam had chosen for her and then laid her against his shoulder. "What about Nicky?" He asked.

"Look on the bed," Sam instructed, rolling his eyes as he did so.

Dean mimicked his brother as he walked over and got Abby strapped into her car seat. "Alright little man, it's your turn now." He said before he got Nick dressed in the blue long sleeve bodysuit with a red stripe across the chest and the pair of tan pants Sam had lain out on their bed.

Just then John knocked on their bedroom door like he had taken to doing since their talk a week ago. Dean was pretty certain that he did it so that he never walked in on any "funny business" though Dean wasn't sure when the next time he would be getting some would be. _Not the time to be thinking about that_ he thought to himself. "You boys

almost ready?" He called through the closed bedroom door.

"Yeah, we're ready." Dean called back as he looked at Sam who nodded, indicating that he was ready too.

John opened the door and smiled when he saw his grandchildren lying awake and dressed in their carriers. "Great, let's go." John said as he picked up Nick's carrier to take it out to the Impala as Sam carried Abby's.

"He seem alright to you?" Dean whispered to his brother as he hobbled down the hall.

Sam laughed a little as he knew what Dean meant. They had never seen their dad act this accommodating to either of them before and both thought that it was a little on the freaky side. "Be nice, he's trying." Sam replied, grinning softly at his brother.

Getting Abby and Nick squared away in the backseat, John slid into the driver's seat while Sam sat in between the twins and Dean took shotgun.

~DW/SW~

Relieved that traffic hadn't been bad, John pulled into the parking lot and found a spot close to the entrance of the restaurant. He grabbed the diaper bag and then opened the rear door to unbuckle Nick's carrier. "C'mon, let's go eat." He said as he led the way inside the restaurant, holding the door for his sons.

Dean gave their name to the hostess and she led them to the back of the restaurant where all of their friends were already waiting for them. Dean and Sam set Abby and Nick's carriers down as well as the diaper bag. John held back, feeling a little hesitant as he was sure that both Caleb and Bobby were itching to give him lectures of their own.

"Happy birthday dude," Caleb smiled as he clapped Dean on the shoulder once he had stood with his little man in tow.

"Thanks," Dean replied as he took a seat holding Nick in the crook of his arm. Sam sat down beside his brother placing Abby's carrier in between him and their dad. "Have you guys ordered yet?"

Jim shook his head no. "We haven't been here long," He answered just as their waiter walked up to the table, his pen and paper out.

"Hi, how are we all doing tonight?" The young brown haired man asked before he was met with a round of smiles and "good, how are you?"'s from his costumers. "My name's Chase and I'll be your server. Can I start you off with drinks or do you all need a few more minutes?"

Dean shrugged. "Ah, I'll take an El Sol." Dean said, starting off the drink orders and causing a few smiles to appear from his friends. They all knew that this was hardly Dean's first beer… it was just his first legal beer.

Once their drinks had been delivered and their dinner orders placed, Sam turned to face his brother. "Do you want to open your presents now or wait until after dinner?" Sam asked as he gently bounced Abby in his arms.

"Ah, now I guess." Dean decided.

"Here, I'll take the little guy." Caleb said as he stood from his seat and walked over to where Dean was sitting, carefully taking his nephew from him. "Hi buddy, it's been a while since you've seen your favorite uncle hunh?" He said to Nick as he made his way back to his seat.

"Thanks Jim," Dean acknowledged before he started tearing into the gifts Jim had just presented him with. "Oh my God, Sammy this is awesome!" He grinned a few minutes later when he opened the gift from his brother, a free detailing and cleaning for the Impala at the local car care center that specialized in classic American cars.

Sam smiled. "I'm glad you like it." He said sincerely. He knew how much pride Dean took in his car and he wanted to show Dean that he cared about him and the things that he considered to be important too. Granted, Sam had no intention of starting to call the Impala 'baby' anytime soon but still, he could respect his brother's admiration for the car.

Dean watched as his brother smiled with his dimples on his display as he played with their daughter and he remembered a time when he was afraid that he would never get to see that look ever again. He was beyond ecstatic that he'd been wrong about that and watching Sam with Abby, Dean realized he'd gotten the best present in the simple fact that his family was alive and okay. Surprising not just himself but also everyone at the table, Dean leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to Sam's cheek. "Thanks Sammy," He said before he laughed when he saw just how red Sam's cheeks were.

* * *

Hey! So how was that? Hopefully the situation with John and the end with Dean giving Sam a quick kiss worked out well for the chapter... please let me know? Thanks again for reading and I can't wait to hear back from all of you! I'll try to update soon. :)


	41. Chapter 41

Hey! So, this chapter is about half the length of a normal one and I seriously apologize for that and how freaking tardy it is! Things have been beyond crazy here and I am seriously about to pull my freaking hair out. My boyfriend's dad had a heart attack about a week or so ago and thankfully he's going to be okay but still. My dad, on the other hand is probably going to be laid off from his job tomorrow and we just spent a crap load of money to send my youngest idiotic sister off to Wilderness Camp because she cannot control herself for anything. That's just the tip of the ice berg and the main reasons why I haven't written or reviewed recently... I absolutely hate this summer. Anyways, you have my apologies and you cannot even begin to understand just how much I appreciate all of you. As cheesy as this may sound, from the bottom of my heart I want all of you know that you guys are the reason why I keep writing and just because I haven't updated in a while doesn't mean that I forgot about these stories... they are a big relaxation thing for me lately.

Ok, enough about me and my excuses. I hope everyone enjoys the chapter even though it's short by at least 1000 words. Thanks for reading and I hope to hear back from everyone, thanks again! :)

* * *

It was only a few moments later when their food arrived. Two waiters walked over to their table, each carrying a a platter with four delicious smelling plates.

"This looks awesome! Thanks," Dean exclaimed when their waiter, Chase, put his "Whiskey" burger down in front of him.

Chase laughed good-naturedly. "Enjoy," He told the crowded table, smiling, before he walked back to the kitchen.

The group's conversation fell to the wayside as everyone dug into their meals. Luckily, both Abby and Nick were currently asleep, each with a full tummy and Dean was hoping that the two of them would remain asleep long enough for him to be able to eat without having to juggle a squirming infant. "Hmm, that was delicious," Dean grinned a while later. He sat back and patted his stomach, feeling quite satisfied with his meal choice. Casually, he draped his arm over the back of Sam's chair, smiling softly.

John pushed his own plate away, having finished his own Rib Eye Steak dinner. "Happy Birthday son," He smiled before he stood, gaining everyone's attention. "I just wanted to say that I'm proud of Dean... more than I think I could ever explain... I mean, we all know that I'm not that good with words but well, I don't mean to embarrass you but I remember the day you were born. Your mom and I were so happy that you were finally there... course I also thought I'd shit my pants, you were a scary little thing." He said causing a few laughs as their friends imagined John Winchester being scared of a newborn infant. "All we wanted was for you to be happy, healthy and to know that no matter what, you had parents that supported you and loved you."

Glancing over at his two sleeping children, Dean knew where his dad was coming from. He wanted nothing more than for Abby and Nick to know that no matter what the situation was or how much trouble they thought they were going to be in, they could always come to him and he would do whatever he could to help them. That didn't mean that he thought he wouldn't ever get mad at them but he hoped that they would always know that everything he did was to try and make their lives better... even when he disciplined them.

"I know your mother would be extremely proud of you too son, you're a good man." John said watching as Dean ducked his head and rubbed at the back of his neck.

Dean swallowed thickly, touched by his dad's unexpected praise. Shifting slightly in his seat, he coughed trying to get rid of the rock that had suddenly lodged itself in his throat. "Thanks dad," He muttered softly.

John nodded. "Abby and Nick are lucky to have both you and your brother as their parents," He finished, surprising their group of friends since they hadn't been at the house for John's morning apology to his boys.

Turning to smile at his brother, Dean removed his arm from about Sam's shoulders to take his brother's hand in his, squeezing gently.

~DW/SW~

Having returned to the house about half an hour later, Dean and Sam into the twin's room to lay them down for the night.

~DW/SW~

Glancing down the hall, Bobby checked to make sure that both Sam and Dean were still putting their children to sleep. "I hope you meant what you said at the restaurant," Bobby paused as he looked John square in the eye. "Because if you didn't then I swear, I will personally kick your ass from here to Canada." The older hunter threatened and John knew that the man was deadly serious. He may not physically be able to actually kick his ass to Canada but John knew that that wouldn't stop his friend from trying.

Knowing that it was absolutely pointless to argue with the other man, John simply nodded.

"Good, glad that's clear." Bobby replied, smiling when he heard Sam and Dean close the door to the nursery.

~DW/SW~

Following Sam out of the nursery, Dean quietly closed the door behind himself. "Thanks again for dinner." He smiled softly. "It was a lot of fun."

Sam smiled back at his brother. "I'm glad you enjoyed it." He said sincerely.

Dean nodded and then the two of them headed back towards the living room where they found Laura serving up slices of cake and ice cream for everyone.

"Hey you two, you guys want some cake?" Laura asked, pausing from scooping some of the Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream out of the tub.

"Yes please," Dean grinned as he rubbed his hands together.

Laura laughed a little, thinking that Dean kind of looked like a kid in a candy store. "Here you go, birthday boy." She smiled handing him a bow filled with cake and ice cream.

"Thanks," Dean smiled back at her before he walked out to the living room, enjoying just hanging out with his friends and family.

~DW/SW~

"Night, thanks again for coming," Dean smiled as he stood on the porch, waving as Bobby and Caleb drove off. Laura , Steven, and Jim had all left about an hour earlier and their dad was inside, cleaning up the kitchen. "Ready to turn in?" Dean asked after he'd locked the front door behind them and secured the salt line in place. A quick thought entered his mind as he wondered about just how they were going to keep the lines intact when the twins started exploring. _Guess we've got a few months before that has to be taken care of_ he thought to himself knowing that the twins were still a couple of months off from crawling.

"Sure," Sam replied, following his brother down the hall and to their room.

Once inside their room, both Sam and Dean got into their pajamas and climbed into the new king-sized bed that comfortably fit both of them. "Night Sam," Dean whispered as he cuddled his brother closer to him. He was surprised when he felt Sam's hand move up to cup his cheek but before he had the chance to say anything, Sam leaned up and kissed him softly and quickly. "What was that for?" He asked in a quiet tone of voice.

Blushing and now regretting his actions, Sam turned away feeling immensely embarrassed.

"Hey, hey," Dean soothed when he saw Sam roll onto his side and lie with his back to him. "It's ok, you just surprised me is all." He reassured, not wanting to lose any bit of ground that they had gained since starting this extremely delicate relationship.

Sam sniffled as he turned to lie on his back so he could face Dean easier. "Really?" Sam asked uncertainly. He had thought that it might be okay to give Dean a goodnight kiss but it still had been quite nerve-wracking... he hadn't been completely positive what his brother's reaction would be.

Dean nodded, smiling softly as he raised his hand to gently cup his brother's cheek, re-initiating the tentative kiss. He shifted, moving slightly on the bed so that he was now lying on his back with Sam propped up against him. Dean carefully and slowly wound his arms around his brother, finally letting his hands come to rest on Sam's hips.

"Hmm," Sam moaned softly just before they heard one of the twins begin to cry.

Dean quietly groaned in annoyance before he chuckled lightly. "They suck at timing." He said causing Sam to smile.

"I'll go see what the problem is," Sam decided as he climbed off of the bed and walked out of their room. "Hold on guys, daddy's coming." He muttered, making Dean smile as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Walking into the nursery, Sam saw that it was Abby who was crying out for attention. Glancing over at Nick's crib, he was relieved to see that his little son was still sleeping peacefully. "Aw, what's the problem sweetheart?" Sam asked, picking her up and laying the little girl against his shoulder. He wrinkled his nose when he felt her wet diaper through the footed ballerina pajamas she was wearing. Getting her changed, Sam kissed her forehead and then laid her back in her crib, covering her with a blanket before he returned to his own room.

~DW/SW~

Dean was glad to return to work a week later. His job at the hardware store may not be super thrilling but he enjoyed earning an honest living for the first time in his life and taking care of his family and providing for them. He knew that their dad gave half of every paycheck he earned to them but Dean liked the feeling of knowing that the eight hours a day he spent here meant that his children and his... partner had a stable and secure home. Growing up, Dean had always done whatever he could to try to make sure that Sam had food in his belly and felt safe at whatever random establishment they were calling home for the month but it hadn't been easy and he much preferred giving the three of them this life rather than a hunter's.

Hearing his stomach growl, Dean headed towards the employee lounge ready to take his lunch break. He grabbed the brown paper bag that contained his lunch and removed his work vest, hanging it on the back of one of the collapsible chairs. Unwrapping the roast beef sandwich that Sam had made for him, Dean thought back to his birthday dinner at the restaurant.

He had kissed Sam completely on impulse and had been quite surprised by the reaction he had gotten in return for his actions. He and Sam hadn't done anything more since the night of Dean's twenty-first birthday but there had been an obvious shift in their relationship. He hadn't regretted kissing Sam in front of their friends and dad but he hadn't been sure what kinds of looks ore comments he would receive after he had pulled back from his blushing brother. He certainly hadn't been expecting the cat calls from Caleb or for their dad to not burst a vein over seeing his two sons do something that was completely the opposite of brotherly. When he had looked back up, he had seen how red Sam's face but it was easy to tell that the kid was blushing and not furious. Later that night, when it had just been the two of them and Sam had leaned up to kiss him... well, that had turned out to be an interesting night, for sure. _Guess we'll just where things go from here_ he thought to himself as he stood from the table to grab a soda from the vending machine.

~DW/SW~

Walking to a quieter part of the college campus since he had a half hour break before his next class, Sam pulled out his cell phone and dialed Steven's number at the hospital where he now worked. He wasn't even sure if Steven would answer but ever since the night when he'd been brave enough to kiss Dean, he'd been wondering about the consequences of what might happen if they did continue this relationship. He knew that they had already had Abby and Nick screened for any possible diseases or anomalies both before and after they had been born but what about him? He had undergone nine hard months of essentially posing as the other gender and while he no longer carried the physical evidence... what if biologically he and his chemistry had been altered? Though Sam loved Abby and Nick with everything he had... they were his babies after all, he wasn't sure that pregnancy was something that he would want a second shot at. _Competition or no competition_ he thought to himself listening as the phone rang.

"Hello?" Sam was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Steven's voice on the other end of the line.

"Ah, hey Steven... it's Sam." Sam replied, taking a seat on a nearby bench.

"Hey Sam, what's going on? Everything okay?" Steven questioned as he sat back in his office chair and loosening his tie a bit.

"Yeah, yeah things are good but I've got a question for you." He explained, glancing around the campus paranoid, to make sure that he was still alone.

"What's on your mind?" Steven asked wondering what he could help the young teen with considering that he was no longer pregnant or a patient of his.

"I know that we got Abby and Nick checked out, both before and after they were born but um... well, I was wondering about me. I mean... if Dean and I were to well, you know... do you think there's a chance of it happening again?" Sam asked nervously. He was really hoping that the answer would be no.

Steven sighed and was quiet for the next few minutes as he wasn't sure how to answer that particular question. He didn't know if Sam was still capable of getting pregnant or if without the demonic influence it was impossible. If you had asked him this question eleven months ago, he would have immediately had you carted off to the psychiatric unit. Now though, he wasn't sure and he didn't want to give Sam false hope either way. "Well, I'm not sure Sam." He answered ignoring the entire topic of incest for the moment seeing as how there had already been quite a few disagreements over that particular issue. "But if it's something you are seriously considering or are worried about then we can certainly run some tests and go from there." He offered hoping that if they did run some tests, they would reveal at least a bit of helpful information for them.

Sam nodded even though Steven couldn't see him. "Thanks, um I should probably get going since class starts soon."

"Ok, bye Sam." Steven said before hanging up the phone and leaving Sam once again alone with his thoughts.

* * *

So, how was that? Acceptable or no? I'll try to make the next one longer. Thanks again for reading! :)


	42. Chapter 42

Hey guys, here's the next chapter. It was really easy to write... it just came to me and I so hope that you guys will enjoy it too. Thank you to everyone for all of your patience, encouragement, support, and understanding with my author's note last chapter... it really means a lot so THANK YOU! Enjoy and I can't wait to hear back from everybody! :)

* * *

Later that night, Dean walked into his and Sam's room pulling a t-shirt over his head. The soft cotton material stuck to him in the back, between his shoulder blades, where his skin was still damp from his shower. He smiled when he saw Sam sitting cross-legged on the edge of their bed wearing one of his old t-shirts and a pair of flannel pajama bottoms. He was holding Nick in his arms and feeding him a bottle. Abby was lying on the floor on a blanket, surrounded by a couple of her toys.

"She's already been fed." Sam told him, looking up only briefly before returning his gaze to their hungry boy.

Dean nodded. "Come here princess," He said as he bent down to pick her up off of the floor along with the flower rattle that was beside her. He held her close to his shoulder, settling himself back against the pillows at the headboard before moving Abby to lay instead on top of his bent knees. "You wanna play with this?" He asked, letting Abby wrap a few tiny fingers around one of the crinkly fabric petals. "It makes silly noises, doesn't it? Silly noises for a silly girl." He said shaking the rattle a little to entertain his daughter. Dean laughed when she let out a small squawk in response.

Sam sat silently watching his brother and their daughter with an affectionate look gracing his face. _He's a great dad _Sam thought to himself. One of his favorite things to do now that the twins were here was to just stop and watch Dean play with them. He couldn't wait to see what kind of a relationship the four of them would have when Abby and Nick were a bit older. He was positive that they were going to have a lot of fun with their little ones."What day do you have off this week?" Sam asked, adjusting his hold on Nick just slightly.

"Ah, Thursday and Friday, I think." Dean answered after a moment.

"Okay," Sam replied, removing the bottle from Nick's little mouth and setting it beside him on the bed when he saw that Nick was no longer interested in it. Picking up the blue burp cloth that had trains sewn onto it, he draped it over his shoulder and began to burp his son. "Would you be able to visit Steven with me one of the those days?" He asked.

Wondering why they needed to go see the doctor, Dean quirked an eyebrow at his brother. "Yeah sure, but what's going on?" He asked, feeling concerned. "You feeling okay?" _He can't be pregnant... we haven't even done anything yet_ Dean thought to himself. _Can he even get pregnant a second time? _Dean wondered having serious doubts about that.

"I want to get tested." Sam explained.

"What for?" Dean asked. _I'm clean dude, you don't need to worry_ Dean thought to himself. He may have had more than his fair share of one-night stands but he had always used a condom because despite popular belief, he did try to be careful about who he slept with. He wasn't _that_ easy.

"To see if... well, to see if it could happen again. I mean, if we're going to be together than we should know, right?" Sam suggested, shyly biting his lip.

_Yes!_ Dean internally pumped his fist. He was fine with being patient and he would never make Sam have sex with him but he had been using his right hand quite a bit these past few months and he was quite happy to hear that just maybe, his hand might be getting a break. "Sure, schedule it and I'll be there." He promised.

"Thanks," Sam smiled appreciative of his brother's support.

"No problem." Dean smiled back.

~DW/SW~

"Thanks for watching them tonight." Sam gratefully told Laura as the two of them stood in the living room the following Friday night. Sam had told her that he and Dean wanted to go out for the evening and would she be willing to watch the twins for just a few hours. Laura had looked at Sam like he was crazy and said that she wanted to kidnap her niece and nephew and take them home with her... basically, she would love to watch them.

"It's my pleasure Sam. We're going to have fun tonight, aren't we?" She smiled at her nephew before she took Nick from Sam.

Sam laughed a little. He was glad that Abby and Nick had so many people who obviously cared about them. "Their bottles are in the fridge, you just have to heat 'em up in the microwave for a few seconds. Test them on the inside of your wrist just to make sure they're not too hot." Sam instructed before he glanced at the clock seeing that it was a little after six-thirty in the evening. "They just ate a little while ago so they should only need one more bottle before bed and they'll probably start to fall asleep around eight or eight thirty. We'll hopefully be home not much later." He said even though he wasn't sure how long these tests would take.

Laura nodded, taking in all of the information that Sam was telling her. "Don't worry, we'll be fine." She reassured causing Sam to nod. He knew that he was leaving them in capable hands... he never would have asked her to babysit if he thought there was a chance that she couldn't take care of them.

"Hey, you ready to go?" Sam asked when Dean walked down the hall wearing a casual dress shirt and a nice pair of jeans... part of their cover story that they were in fact going on a date. Sam himself was wearing a dark purple button-up shirt and jeans. They had told Laura that the two of them were going to go see a movie since Sam didn't necessarily want all of his friends and family to know that he was seeing if he was still fertile or not.

Dean nodded. "Yup, just let me grab my wallet." He responded, heading into the kitchen. "Alright, now I'm ready." He and Sam kissed the twins goodbye and then headed out the door.

"Bye you two, have fun!" Laura called as she closed and locked the front door after them.

~DW/SW~

"Thanks again for coming with me tonight," Sam said as he glanced over at Dean in the driver's seat.

"Course, don't worry about it." Dean answered, turning his head to smile softly at his brother.

Sam smiled back and nodded, he knew that Dean would always have his back. Growing up, he had always known that Dean was someone he could count on but ever since the first time the two of them had been intimate, he had realized just how safe his brother made him feel. When he had been raped, Sam's world had pretty much shattered and he hadn't been sure just what the hell to do or where to go. He had felt like all of a sudden, everywhere he went presented someone or something dangerous and he had been incredibly frightened of trusting anyone... except for Dean, that is. And then when he and Dean had done what they needed to in order to save Abby and Nick... his brother had taken such good care of him and made him feel safe, protected and loved and he truly felt like Dean's actions were a big part in his whole recovery process. Dean had shown him that he did deserve to be taken care of and that just because some bastard had been cruel and careless, it didn't mean that everyone was that way.

Hitting a red light just a block from the hospital Dean looked over and noticed that Sam's right leg was bouncing gently with nerves. "Don't worry Sam, whatever Steven says we'll find a way to make it work." He reassured as he reached over to take Sam's hand in his.

Sam nodded again. "I know." He stated confidently as he let his fingers tangle with his brothers.

Parking the car in the far end of the lot a few minutes later, Sam and Dean got out of the Impala and began to head towards the back of the hospital where they knew Steven would be waiting for them. They had chosen to meet later in the evening since hopefully there wouldn't be as many people milling about the Obstetrics unit and they might have a bit more privacy for their appointment.

"Hey man," Dean said after Steven had let the two of them into his private office.

"Hey guys, have a seat." The doctor motioned to the two empty chairs in front of his desk and locked the door to ensure that they wouldn't be rudely interrupted tonight. Taking a seat behind the mahogany desk, Steven leaned forward clasping his hands together. "So the way this works, usually," He smirked knowing that for this particular patient he had to take everything he knew and try to apply it to the male body. "Is Sam, I'll give you a physical and some blood tests to check for different hormone levels such as your thyroid and the levels of estrogen and testosterone in your system." Steven explained.

Sam nodded and began to unbutton the dress shirt he was wearing, leaving the white tank top on underneath.

Opening a drawer, Steven took out a stethoscope and walked over to the young parent. "Take a breath for me please." He instructed placing the cold metal against Sam's chest. "And another." He said after Sam had taken a few breathes. "And one more."

Dean sat back in his chair, patiently watching as Steven did what he needed to.

Smiling as he stepped back from his patient a few moments later, Steven returned to his desk and turned to face the couple. "Well, your heartbeat and breathing sounds good Sam but now, I need to do a pelvic exam. It will help me see just what kind of shape you are in and if in fact, your body has returned to its normal state or not."

Sam nodded nervously.

"Here, I'll be back in a few minutes." He said handing Sam a paper gown to put on and then headed outside for a moment to give him some privacy.

Sam picked the gown up and put it on over his undershirt before slipping his jeans off and folding them up, setting them on the floor by the chair he had been sitting in. "You can go get him." He told his brother.

Dean nodded. "It's gonna be fine," He reassured as he stepped over to where Sam was seated on the medical bench and soothingly rubbed his arms, pressing a small kiss to Sam's forehead.

"Yeah, I know. I trust you guys." Sam breathed just before Dean headed outside to go get the doctor.

Dean and Steven returned just a moment later and Steven instructed Sam to lay back on the bench. Sam did so and was grateful when Dean moved up to stand beside him, taking one of his hands in his. It wasn't so much the exam that Sam was nervous about... he trusted Steven quite a bit, it was more the possible results that were freaking him out.

Pulling up a stool, Steven sat in between Sam's legs and started to exam him. "Sorry," He apologized when Sam shivered a little from the cold metal instrument against his skin.

"It's okay," Sam quietly replied focusing more on Dean. He tried to keep his breathing steady as Steven worked but it felt extremely weird to have the other man working _down there_. Of course, it wasn't anything compared to giving birth but still... it wasn't exactly what he would call pleasant.

"Almost done," Steven said encouragingly and Sam was quite happy when he finished a few moments later.

Feeling just the tiniest bit sore, Sam sat up with Dean's help and looked up at his doctor. "So, what do you think?" He asked.

"Well, I still have to take your blood tests and that combined with the pelvic exam will help to give me a better idea but for now, it's Dean's turn." Steven said causing Sam to smile a little, he was glad that he wasn't the only one who was getting attention from the doctor this time around.

"What do you need from me?" Dean grinned.

"You to fill this up," Steven grinned back as he handed Dean a clear plastic cup.

"Be right back," Dean nodded knowing what exactly he had to do and exited the room to find a bathroom.

~DW/SW~

Dean returned about fifteen minutes later with a full cup. "I believe that this is what you wanted." He grinned, handing the plastic container to Steven.

"You would be correct." Steven replied taking Dean's sample and placing it in a sealed container.

"Ok, so now I'll just draw both of your blood and then that'll be it." He explained causing Sam to remove his gown after putting his jeans back on, not wanting to be dressed in just his boxers and an undershirt if he could help it.

"When would you know the results by?" Dean asked, finishing rolling his sleeve up.

"A couple of days at least." Steven answered knowing that he preferred to handle all of Sam and Dean's medical business himself rather than to pass it off to one of the lab technicians.

"Alright," Dean smiled comfortingly at his brother knowing that Sam had to be worried right now and then Steven proceeded to draw blood from both Sam and Dean.

Grabbing his jacket and slipping back into it as Sam got redressed in his own shirt and jacket a few moments later, they bid goodnight to Steven and headed back outside. Glancing at the watch on his wrist, Dean saw that it was still fairly early. "Wanna grab something to eat before we head home?" He asked.

"Yeah, sounds good. What do you feel like?" Sam asked as he climbed into the passenger seat of the Impala.

Dean twitched his nose while he thought about it. "Hmm... don't know, could really go for anything, I guess." He answered.

"Of course you would." Sam replied, smiling teasingly.

"Hey, a man's gotta eat." Dean defended causing Sam to laugh before Sam saw a mischievous look cross his brother's face. "I know just the place."

"Oh really, where?" Sam asked wondering what his brother was up to.

"You'll just have to wait and see." Dean smiled secretively.

~DW/SW~

Pulling up to a small, out of the way pizza parlor that Dean had found on his way home one night, Dean looked over at his brother and killed the engine. "What do you think? Here or find something else?" He asked, giving Sam a choice but hoping that his brother would say this place was fine. He was really in the mood for pizza right now.

Sam gave the place a quick once-over. "Sure, why not?" He shrugged, climbing out of the car. "But ah, give me a sec?" He asked, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket and began to dial their home phone number.

"Sam, they're fine." Dean sighed knowing exactly who his brother was about to call. Dean was actually kind of glad that Sam was playing the role of the 'paranoid parent', it meant that he got to be the cool and relaxed one.

"But I just want to check, make sure." Sam argued.

Dean shook his head. "Laura is fully capable of watching them for a few hours. Hell, I bet they're fast asleep right now." Dean tried to reassure.

Biting his lip, Sam nodded and shut his phone.

"Come on." Dean said opening the door and allowing Sam to walk in first.

"Well, aren't you the gentleman?" Sam teased.

"Should've let the door smack you in the face." Dean muttered making Sam laugh.

Stepping into the small restaurant, Sam was pleasantly surprised. While the outside hadn't been unappealing, it hadn't been massively impressive either but the inside was tastefully decorated and rather spacious. There were a few Italian collectibles hanging on the walls and there was a bar where customers could sit and watch the pizzas being made. "It's nice." He commented as he followed Dean to a small table that was set for two at the back of the restaurant.

"The pizza's not bad either." Dean commented before a young teenage girl appeared at their table.

"Hi, what can I get for you?" She asked.

"Ah, I'll take a coke and whatever he's having," Dean said glancing over at his brother. The only reason why he wasn't ordering a beer was because he was driving. _Such the responsible guy now_ he silently thought, realizing that before he would have ordered a beer no problem. _You still could, it's not like you're going to be drunk after one. _Dean knew that he could hold his liquor better than that.

"Water please." Sam requested. "You know what kind of pizza you want?" He asked his brother.

"Can we get a medium half meat and half veg?" Dean ordered figuring that he should probably get something that would please both of their pallets.

"Sure, I'll bring your drinks right over." The girl smiled before she headed back to the kitchen leaving the two of them alone once again.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither brother wanting to break the peacefulness that was surrounding them. _Guess this kind of is a date_ Dean thought to himself, smiling a little bit.

"What?" Sam asked when he noticed the happy and content look on his brother's face.

"Nothing," Dean shrugged.

"Unhuh, sure," Sam said, his tone telling that he didn't believe his brother but he let it slide anyways. "Would you ever want a couple more?" Sam asked a few minutes later and causing Dean to shoot a curious look at him. Despite just coming from the doctor's office, that was not a question he had been expecting.

"Let's see what Steven says first." Dean replied, not sure how he felt about expanding their family. "I mean Abby and Nick aren't even six months old yet."

"Yeah, I know but I'm just thinking... suppose it is possible, would you want more?" Sam pushed.

"I don't know Sam... would you?" Dean asked wanting to know where Sam stood on this particular issue since he would be the one to play the biggest part.

"Not really but I don't know. If it was just you and me and no one else then maybe but..." He drifted off, his shoulders sagging a bit.

"Well, let's not freak out about it just yet. We'll talk to Steven and go from there." Dean reassured seeing Sam's reaction. _There is such a thing as birth control and condoms Sammy _Dean thought.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks," Sam smiled when their waitress brought their drinks back over. It wasn't just the scary prospect of another bumpy pregnancy that had Sam worrying, if he were to get pregnant a second time, how would they explain it? What, would he go into hiding for nine months or something? It just didn't make sense.

Dean nodded. "We'll figure it out." He reassured, unsure of which outcome he was hoping for.

~DW/SW~

Walking out of the pizza parlor about forty five minutes later, Dean laughed and gently tangled his hand with Sam's. "Think we've been gone long enough?" He asked as they walked back towards the parking lot.

"Oh yeah," He was definitely missing the kids right about now, especially since tonight was the first time that he hadn't been there to put them to bed since they had been born almost two months ago.

"Yeah, I miss 'em too." Dean agreed turning around when he heard someone calling his name. Squinting to try and see who it was, he realized that it was his co-worker, Tammy.

"Fancy running into you here Dean Winchester," Tammy smiled teasingly as she came to stand in front of the pair, her boyfriend trailing behind her.

"Yeah, hey Tammy," Dean replied, scratching the back of his neck nervously. He had tried very hard to keep his work and private life separate for very obvious reasons.

"Please ignore his manners, they're non-existent. I'm Tammy, we work together." She said introducing herself to Sam and sticking out a hand to be able to properly shake hands with him. It was then that all of them realized that Sam and Dean's hands were still connected. "Oh, you're his..." She drifted off putting the pieces together. She hadn't realized that Dean preferred hard and muscular bodies to that of soft curves.

Swallowing and knowing that there was no denying it now that they had been caught out in the open like this. "Yup, I'm Sam... Dean's boyfriend." He confirmed, hoping to hell that Dean wasn't going to be mad with him for revealing that information to a co-worker.

"Well, it's good to finally meet you! Your guy here's pretty tight-lipped though looking at you, I don't know why. You're absolutely adorable!" Tammy squealed appreciatively and making Sam blush.

"I'm Robert, nice to meet you Dean... heard quite a bit." The other man commented as he stepped up to shake Dean's hand.

"Really?" Dean asked feeling surprised while he squeezed Sam's hand. He wanted him to know that while he hadn't been big on sharing family information with his work... he wasn't mad with him for doing so.

"Oh yeah, she says you're her most entertaining co-worker." Robert explained.

Dean laughed. "Well that's good to hear." He smiled. "We should get going, enjoy your meal."

"Thanks and the four of us should go out for drinks or something, sometime." Tammy suggested causing both Dean and Sam to nod politely before the two groups went their separate ways.

~DW/SW~

"Boyfriend, hunh?" Dean asked with a cocky smile playing at his lips once he and Sam were back in the Impala and driving home.

"Well, what was I going to say Dean? That you suddenly went blind since the last time she'd seen you and I was your guide dog?" Sam huffed.

"Hey, I'm not mad." Dean soothed as he reached over and placed a hand over Sam's folded ones. "Serious... just never really been called boyfriend before." He admitted. He may have had the girls squawking over him since they had realized that hey, boys are kind of a good thing but that hadn't meant that he had had many, if any, long lasting relationships.

Now it was Sam's turn to smile. "So I'm the one who tamed the wild beast then, is that it?" He teased his brother.

"It would appear so." Dean nodded before he moved to turn the radio on. "Abby loves this song." He commented as the Allman Brothers Band's song _Ramblin' Man_ started to play.

Sam laughed. "Really? She told you that?" He asked, the sarcasm loud and clear in his voice.

"Yup," Dean nodded again as he drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. "It's her favorite."

"She takes after her Papa then because her Daddy can't stand this," Sam said as he moved to turn the radio down a notch only for his hand to be swatted away.

"Driver picks the music..." Dean started.

"Shotgun shuts his cake hole, I know." Sam interrupted, quoting one of his brother's most used phrases.

"Damn straight," Dean grinned before the two of them fell into an easy silence.

~DW/SW~

Arriving back home a little under fifteen minutes later, Dean parked the car in its normal spot and reached behind him to grab the box that had their left over pizza in it. "Let's go." He instructed and the two of them quietly made their way into their warm and comfortable home, not wanting to wake the twins if they could help it.

"Hey, you two had a good time I hope." Laura smiled as she climbed off of the couch, turning the television off as she did so.

Dean nodded, stripping out of his jacket and putting the pizza in the fridge. He figured he'd have it for breakfast tomorrow before work.

"How were they?" Sam asked curiously though he was sure that Laura would have called them if there had been a problem, right?

"They were angels, can I please take them with me?" She begged jokingly.

Both Sam and Dean laughed at that. "Sorry sweetheart but there ain't a snowball's chance in hell of that happening. I think this one would kill me if I got rid of them." Dean teased, winking at Sam.

"Like you would even dare," Sam said glaring at Dean though he had a smile on his face. "I'll be back, just want to say goodnight."

"Ok," Dean nodded knowing that Sam had been itching to get back to their children all night. Truthfully, he had been too. "What do we owe you? I'm not exactly an expert on what the going rate for babysitting munchkins is." He explained as he took his wallet out and prepared to pull out some cash.

"Don't worry about it," Laura shrugged, taking Dean's wallet from him and setting it on the counter. "Seriously Dean, you and Sam are pretty much like brothers to me." She said before a ghost of emotion filled her eyes.

_Marcus_ Dean thought to himself, remembering that her brother had been the one who was killed when this whole ordeal had pretty much just started. And killed by Dean's own gun too... somehow, he doubted that Laura knew that and he hoped that she never would. He knew that he had done what he needed to to protect his brother but it had been the demon he had been trying to kill, not necessarily its vessel. It's just that what he had walked in on in the forest... well, it hadn't left him much of a choice in how to react. "Well, thank you. We appreciate it." He smiled sincerely.

Laura smiled back at him. "Night Dean, I'll see you guys soon." She promised before she picked up her purse and headed out to her car.

~DW/SW~

Walking into their room a few moments later, Dean found Sam in the middle of changing into his pajamas. "Let me guess, they were sound asleep?" He assumed tugging off his own jeans and throwing them haphazardly over a chair that was tucked into the corner.

Sam nodded, smiling peacefully. "What time did dad say he'd be home tonight?" Sam asked, pulling back the heavy top cover of their bed and sliding in, relishing the warmth that it brought.

Dean shrugged. "He guessed sometime around early morning." He answered sliding in next to his brother and wrapping his arms around his middle.

"I know we just saw him this evening but I wanna know," Sam complained when he felt Dean's arms settle around him.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, I know. I hate waiting for stuff." He agreed.

"Really because you seem pretty damn patient to me." Sam huffed softly, speaking more to himself than his brother. Dean hadn't been laid in almost three and a half months... he knew that his brother had to have a pair of blue balls by now but still, he waited for Sam to pretty much a-okay everything first.

Dean sighed as he lightly ran a hand up his brother's arm. "It's okay." He reassured, not wanting Sam to feel pressured or anything but at the same time he was really hoping that they could... consummate their relationship soon because damn, if it hadn't been a while.

"You're the best, you know that?" Sam smiled as he turned in his brother's arms to be able to look up at Dean.

"I think I've been told that a time or two." Dean grinned, moving his hand to tilt Sam's chin up just a little bit more before he leaned in to softly kiss him. "Doesn't mean you can't say it ever again though."

Sam laughed, pulling away from Dean just the slightest bit. "I'll have to keep that in mind." He mumbled before he laid down with his head pillowed on Dean's chest. "I'm sleepy."

"I can tell. Go to sleep," He ordered pressing a kiss to the top of Sam's curls. "Boyfriend." He whispered in his brother's ear, smiling when he felt Sam squeeze him just that little bit tighter. They were definitely getting somewhere... it was just a matter of how fast.

* * *

Hey, so how was that? I hope you enjoyed it and I will try to get the next one up soon. I'm also in the middle of writing the next chapter of 'Family Matters' so hopefully it'll be up before too long. Thanks again everyone! :)


	43. Chapter 43

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter, I hope everyone likes it. I'm not too sure about the flow of it and I hope that it doesn't seem like the transitions betweens the scenes are choppy. I tried to make them flow but I'm not sure about this chapter for some reason. Also, John is pretty absent from this chapter as it is mostly all Sam and Dean but he and their friends will be back soon.

On another note, what did you guys think of the premiere last night? I'm quite excited for this season! I think it'll be interesting. Anyhow, thanks for reading and I hope to hear back from all of you. I'll try to update soon. :)

* * *

The following Monday afternoon, Dean silently cursed to himself when he saw Tammy standing in the gardening aisle helping out an elderly woman with her floral and gardening choices. He had been hoping to avoid her today in the hopes that they wouldn't have to have an awkward talk about his weekend. He was still coming to terms with the fact that he and Sam were in a relationship and discussing all of the juicy details with a co-worker was something that he would rather not do. Plus, there were certain aspects of their relationship that he knew for a fact that she nor anyone, outside of their close-knit group of friends, would ever have any clue of.

Finishing restocking the electrical wires, he stood up and headed to the back of the store to see what other new shipments of supplies and products had come in that morning. Just as he was finishing unloading the truck, he turned around to see Tammy standing at the entrance to the dock with a grin on her face.

"What?" He asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow at her as he wondered just what she was going to say to him.

"How come you never told me you had such a cute guy to go home to at night? No wonder you always peel out of here so fast." She muttered.

Dean's eyes widened as he glared at her. "Ya mind?" He asked, gesturing to the area around them. _Jesus, way to announce it to the world_ he grumbled to himself.

Tammy shook her head. "It's just you and me back here, Tom's got everyone else working out front." She reassured, laughing silently to herself at the way Dean looked as he checked the surrounding area for any other employee or customer.

_Anyways, he would only be half of the reason for that _Dean thought to himself. "Ah, sorry... I didn't realize I was supposed to make that public knowledge." He replied sarcastically.

Tammy laughed as she shook her head and walked over to him. "I'll keep your secret if you want though I don't know why you're so hush hush about it... he's a cutie!" She giggled even though she had thought that Sam looked kind of young but hey, maybe he was just losing that 'baby-face' that all guys seemed to have a little later than normal.

"Are you kidding me? Look at where we live, the middle of bumfuck nowheresville... I don't think they really want to know just who I find attractive." He actually wasn't so sure how the townspeople would react to a gay couple, especially one with two little babies, but he didn't think the reaction would be that bad. But still, it was a good cover as to why he'd never said anything about it before.

"Hey, don't stereotype your fellow citizens!" Tammy responded, lightly swatting Dean on the arm. "But seriously Dean, it was nice to meet Sam last night. I'm glad I got to but like I said, your secret's safe with me."

"Thank you." Dean smiled sincerely, relieved that he didn't have to worry about all of his co-workers knowing his sexual orientation. In truth, he didn't really care what people thought... he had Sam and they had their kids and that was what mattered but he figured it would probably be easier and just a lot less mess if he kept it to himself. _Wonder who else knows _Dean silently thought as he remembered how Josh had reacted. They hadn't heard from him since Christmas and Dean hoped that he hadn't blabbed to any other hunters out there. The angel hadn't been wrong when he'd said that they were a bloodthirsty and judgmental group. _Everything's gonna work out _he told himself, trying not to get sidetracked, worrying about what the people in the life he had left behind were up to. He had a job to do. "Now help me carry these inside."

"You've got biceps twice the size of my entire arm and you're asking me to help you carry something... there's something wrong with that picture." Tammy teased even as she picked up one of the last bags of cement and set it in it's proper place outside. She smiled at the way Dean rolled his eyes at her, he was quite the good guy to have around.

~DW/SW~

"Have you heard from Steven yet?" Dean asked later that evening as he stood beside Sam in the kitchen, washing the dishes that they had used at dinner. Nick and Abby were currently in their swings over by the kitchen table so that their parents could keep an eye on the two of them but still had their hands free to do other things.

Sam shook his head. "No, not yet. He said it might take a few days." Sam answered as he dried off the plate he was holding and then put it in the cabinet to his left. _Trust me, I wish we knew already _he silently added.

"Alright, just let me know when he does call." Dean responded, eager to know what the test results would reveal. Handing the last dish to Sam, he pulled a paper towel from the rack and dried his own hands.

"Of course," Sam replied leaning against the counter and watching as Dean picked Abby up from her swing. "She was comfy, why do you have to move her?" He asked, sighing a little and hoping that Dean hadn't just made her fussy. Abby had been pretty content in her swing and as long as she was okay, he was alright leaving her there so that he could get a break, even if it was only for a few minutes. He loved his children more than anything but he hadn't been up this late without having to be on a stake-out in well, ever and Sam found that between tending to his children and going to school... he was quite tired by the end of the day. He was eagerly waiting for the night when his two little ones slept through the night.

"Yeah but she's even more comfy here," Dean smiled as he cradled his daughter closer to his chest. "Daddy thinks I was mean to move you. What do you think angel, was I mean?" He asked, gently tickling her belly and smiling at his little girl, admiring the green eyes that were almost identical to his.

Abby let out a small squeak, her chubby little arms raising up towards Dean's face to scratch at the stubble on his chin.

"See, she's not protesting." Dean said turning to Sam before he looked back at Abby, his eyes widening when he saw that she had a true, genuine smile on her face. The first one yet. "Sammy, come here," He ordered with a look of awe in his eyes. Dean continued to tickle Abby some more trying to keep the smile on her face for long enough so that Sam would be able to see it too.

"What...?" Sam drifted off when he saw that Abby was smiling and he smiled back, tears filling his eyes. "Oh my God baby girl, you've got such a pretty smile." Hurrying over to the kitchen table, he picked up the camera that Bobby had accidentally left at their house when he had returned home and quickly snapped a shot of Dean and their daughter. "This is definitely going in her baby book." He announced with pride in his voice.

Dean pressed a gentle kiss to Abby's temple, feeling his chest swell with pride and yet, at the same time a little bit of sadness. He liked having her be little... he didn't want her to grow up on him. _She's barely three months old, she's gonna be little for a while yet _he thought to himself. "Wait until Grandpa hears about what you did, he's gonna be so proud." Dean told the little girl cradling her protectively close to his chest.

Sam's smile softened as he picked Nick up out of his own swing, silently wondering when they would get to see what their son's smile looked like. Everyone said that Nick looked just like him, only with lighter hair and he tended to agree with them. It was Abby who had Dean's eyes and coloring and Sam wondered to himself if their little man had inherited his dimples or not. He hoped so.

~DW/SW~

"So, you and Sam have any plans for this Monday?" Tammy asked a few days later as she and Dean headed to the employee lounge for their break.

"Ah, not that I know of... why?" He asked wondering why she was curious about their date schedule. _And what the hell was so special about Monday? _Dean thought to himself. Unless he had it off, he considered it to be the worst day of the week. A reminder that the weekend was officially over.

Tammy laughed. "What month is it Dean?" She asked.

Dean thought for a moment before he answered. "February. I still don't get why Monday's a big deal." He replied as he walked over to the counter and poured himself a small cup of the somewhat decent coffee they had.

"Ah, it's a wonder Sam puts up with you, you clearly need help." Tammy huffed as she stood beside him. "It's Valentine's Day, you goof!"

"Oh..." Dean drifted off, wondering just what in the world he was supposed to do with that knowledge. _Crap, Sam hasn't mentioned it... maybe he doesn't want to do anything. _Dean thought to himself. _Yes and he's also been stressed out of his gourd what with his classes and waiting to hear back from Steven. _Dean twitched his nose as he thought about what he was supposed to do as Sam's boyfriend for what was to be considered the most romantic holiday of the year.

"Rob's taking me to La Fondue," Tammy squealed, clearly excited and causing Dean to shake his head. He'd never been there before but from what he'd heard, it was easily the most expensive restaurant in town.

_Thank God, Sam's tastes aren't quite that expensive _Dean thought to himself thinking that a dinner there would cost him a pretty good sized chunk of his paycheck and right now, well they needed that money for other things. Mainly diapers, bottles, and formula.

~DW/SW~

Walking into the house later that night, Dean could hear the low murmur of the television and headed into the family room once he'd taken his boots off, not wanting to track snow through the house. The last thing they needed was for either Nick or Abby to catch a cold. The twins were a week and a half away from turning three months old and both had been pretty healthy up until this point. Nick hadn't had a seizure since that first one and both had been deemed to be on track by their pediatrician at their last appointment and he wanted to keep it that way. "Hey," He whispered as he walked into the family room and saw Sam lounging on the couch with Abby asleep on his chest.

"Hey, you're home earlier than I thought you'd be." Sam commented as he leaned slightly up for the kiss Dean presented him with.

Taking a seat on the couch beside Sam, Dean shrugged. "It was a slow night so Tom said for a bunch of us to head home." He explained, glad that his boss had been so generous. "Where's the little guy?" He asked noticing that Nick wasn't in the room with the rest of them.

"Asleep in his crib... this one wanted to fight her bedtime so I brought her out here with me." Sam replied, gazing down at the sleeping baby on his chest. Abby was lying on her stomach fast asleep on Sam's chest with the fabric of Sam's pajama shirt clutched in her tiny hands.

"I can see that she put up quite the fight," Dean quipped sarcastically since the little girl didn't show any signs of waking any time soon.

Sam laughed softly. "Yeah..." He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head and soothingly ran a hand down her back.

"Want me to put her to bed?" Dean asked causing Sam to nod so Dean carefully reached down and picked Abby up off of Sam's chest. "Be right back." He smiled before he headed down the hall, relieved that Abby hadn't woken up during the transfer between her fathers. He gently laid her down in her crib and kissed her goodnight before doing the same to Nick. When he went back out to the living room, he saw that it was empty and the TV was turned off. _Alright then _he thought as he headed down the hall where he found Sam in the bathroom, brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed. "You tired?" He asked, leaning against the door frame.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, it's kind of been a long day." He answered, yawning.

"Everything alright?" Dean asked, stepping into the room. He pulled his shirt off and reached to turn the shower on.

"Yeah, I guess it's just the waiting's getting to me is all. I want to know." Sam explained as he wrapped his arms around himself, rather protectively.

"I know what you mean but try not to worry so much, it'll be okay." Dean lifted his head and smiled a bit at his brother before he finished stripping.

Sam nodded back at Dean, shyly raising his eyes to look at Dean's naked form. _You're allowed to look _Sam told himself as he tried to stop blushing. "I'll um... I'll see you in bed?" He asked.

Dean chuckled lightly, nodding and stepping into the shower/tub, pulling the curtain closed. "I'll try not to wake you up." He offered, listening as Sam walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him. _Valentine's Day, hunh?_ Dean thought to himself, debating if he should bring it up or not. When he walked into their room about fifteen minutes later, Sam was sound asleep causing Dean to smile to himself. He checked the baby monitor and then carefully crawled into bed. "Night Sammy," He whispered. Normally, Dean would have stayed up a bit later either watching the news or some late night show but he was tired and cuddling up with Sam, even if he was already asleep, sounded good to him tonight.

~DW/SW~

The next day at work, Dean was standing at his cash register, ringing up a customer who had bought a good deal of building equipment and plywood. "Here you go sir, have a nice day." He smiled before calling for the next person in line to step up. "Hey, I didn't expect to see you today." Dean commented when he realized that his next customer was Steven.

Steven nodded. "Yeah, I just needed a couple of things and I wanted to give you this. I would have called to arrange an appointment but I got it back this morning and figured that I would drop it off with you." The doctor suggested handing Dean a folded piece of paper after Dean had scanned his few items.

Dean reached out to take the paper from Steven, his eyes widening when he realized that he now held the information as to the future of his and Sam's little family in his hands. A smile formed on his face and he quickly stowed the paper away in his pants pocket for safe-keeping. "Thank you," He said sincerely as he shook Steven's hand. "For everything. Um, your total's thirty-six twenty."

Steven handed Dean two twenty dollar bills and then began to explain to Dean exactly what the results meant so that way he would be able to explain it to Sam and then the two of them could make a decision from there.

As he listened to Steven talk, a plan began to form in his head. "You're not busy Monday, are you?" He asked, glad that so far there wasn't anybody in line behind Steven. It gave him a few extra minutes to chat with the man and allowed them a small bit of privacy.

~DW/SW~

"Alright, see you tomorrow. Bye Sam," Laura called as Sam climbed out of her car, a secretive smile on her face a few days after Steven had dropped by Dean's work.

"Bye sketchy," He smirked back at her, wondering what she was up to. She had been in an unusual hurry after class today, insisting that they didn't have time to waste and had to get home as soon as possible. When he had asked her if she had some hot date that she needed to get ready for, she had simply shaken her head no, fighting a smile the entire time. Laughing to himself at his friends' quirkiness as he climbed the front porch steps, Sam let himself in and called out to Jim. "Hey guys, daddy's home," He walked into the living room, expecting Abby and Nick to be lying on their blankets on the floor and playing with a couple of toys each. He was surprised when they weren't.

"Jim, you guys home?" He asked, starting to get suspicious as he headed down the hall. It was way two quiet for a household that had two tiny infants living there and Jim never would have taken the twins out without letting Sam know first. The older man knew just how freaked out Sam got about them sometimes. Walking further, he could hear the faint sounds of music being played and it sounded familiar... Dean familiar.

"They're not but I am." Dean said as he walked up behind Sam and wrapped his arms around Sam's waist, smirking. Sam stiffened for a moment before he started to relax, still somewhat getting used to his brother being openly affectionate like that.

"Where are they?" Sam asked as he turned around to be able to face Dean. It was a moment later when he realized that his brother was wearing one of his dreaded 'monkey-suits', complete with a tie. _What?_ He wondered, trying to think of a reason as to why Dean would be dressed up. They hadn't planned anything for tonight, had they?

"Steven and Laura are watching them for the evening." Dean explained.

_So that's what the rush was about _Sam thought to himself knowing that Laura could barely contain herself when it came to her niece and nephew. "Ah, okay?" Sam shook his head, still not completely sure what was going on. "Aren't you supposed to be at work? And why are you all dressed up?"

Dean bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. He had expected his girly, sensitive brother to remember what today was and was a bit surprised that it was the other way around. "Because you and I have the house to ourselves tonight and I figured we could... celebrate." When he had left for work this morning, Dean had told Sam that he got off work at nine when really today was one of his shorter work days. He had gotten home from work around five-thirty, more than enough time to put his plans into action.

A smile began to form on Sam's face. "Celebrate... what's the occasion?" He asked before he caught a glimpse of the calender they had hanging on the wall, embarrassment filling him. "Today's Valentine's day, isn't it?"

"Ding, ding we have a winner." Dean teased. "C'mon, dinner's almost ready." He said dropping his arms from around Sam's waist and leading the way into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry... I forgot." Sam said, frowning apologetically. It was his first romantic holiday where he'd been in an actual relationship and he hadn't even remembered.

"It's alright... I actually kind of just put all of this together at the last minute so I hope you like it." Dean replied, turning around from where he stood in front of the stove, checking on the pasta he was cooking.

Sam smiled tenderly when he walked into the kitchen only to find that Dean had cleared it of any clutter and had set the table for two. There were even lit candles in the center. "You really went all out, didn't you?" Sam questioned as he took a seat at the table, feeling rather under-dressed for this occasion in his jeans and sweatshirt. _Should I go change? _He wondered to himself before his stomach let out a rather loud growl when he smelled the delicious pasta Dean was busy cooking.

"Figured it might be fun," Dean answered. _And that you needed something to relax you _he silently added. Dean knew that tonight was going to probably be used as teasing material for a while now but he didn't mind... too much. He knew he'd get some form of payback soon enough

"I think you figured right," Sam smiled back, chuckling softly when Dean walked over to the table a moment later and scooped some salad onto his plate. The Cesar salad was followed by some four-cheese ravioli and garlic bread. "Wow..." He said surprised that Dean had done all of this and he was incredibly touched at his brother's thoughtfulness.

"Enjoy," Dean smiled before he served up his own plate and began digging into his own meal. Dean knew that he and Sam could take their time tonight since their dad was going to be at work until the wee hours and Steven had offered to watch the twins for as long as necessary. He figured he would go pick them up later that evening after he and Sam had finished with their little date. He would ask Steven to drive them home if it wasn't too much trouble but their car seats were still in the Impala so that kind of threw that option out the window.

~DW/SW~

"That was delicious Dean. Thank you." Sam said once the two of them had finished the dessert of chocolate lave cake and vanilla ice cream a good while later.

"Good, I'm glad you liked it." Dean responded as he stood to clear the dishes from the kitchen table. "No, stay there... we're not completely done yet." He instructed when Sam stood too.

Sam quirked a brow at his brother, wondering what else Dean had planned for them and retook his seat. When Dean returned to the table a couple of minutes later, Sam was smiling softly.

"What?" Dean asked with caution in his voice. He wasn't completely sure that he trusted the look on Sam's face right now.

Sam shrugged, the smile still on his face. "I don't know, nothing really. I guess it's just that I never really imagined that I'd be sharing a home cooked meal with you on Valentine's day, is all. But I'm glad we are." He reassured, realizing that what he had said might have been interrupted wrongly by Dean.

_Me too little brother, me too _Dean nodded in silent agreement and then the two of them sat in companionable silence just enjoying the others company. "Oh, I almost forgot. Um, I have this," Dean said as he reached into the inside of his jacket pocket and pulled out the envelope containing the information Steven had given him earlier in the afternoon plus a little something extra.

"What is this?" Sam asked as he took the plain white envelope from his brother. Dean cooking him dinner was enough of a surprise but a card was something he'd never expect.

"Open it." Dean encouraged, hoping that Sam would like what it revealed. He had and the extra bit that they had received in the mail today... well, that had been like the icing on the cake.

Sam gave his older brother a strange look, shaking his head just the slightest as he wondered what else Dean had up his sleeve for tonight. Even if he had remembered that today was Valentine's, he wouldn't have expected him to come home early from work, make Sam a romantic dinner or have bought him a card. Tearing the seal on the envelope, a bright smile broke out onto his face when he read the contents. "Oh... oh my God, really?" Sam asked as he felt a bit of relief begin to seep through him as it felt like a lead weight had been lifted off of his chest.

Dean nodded. "Steven came by the store and visited me at work the other day. He said that he ran the tests twice just to be sure." Dean explained, smiling too at what he knew was written on the sheet of paper. Steven had explained to him that while it didn't appear as if getting pregnant a second time was something that would be easy to accomplish for Sam's body, it wasn't totally impossible either. Dean had been glad to hear that he and Sam had been left with choices. "What do you think?" Dean asked a moment later as he sat back in his chair wanting to know how Sam felt about the results.

Sam shrugged thoughtfully, carefully laying the paper down on the table in front of him. He was happy that it was apparently a slim chance that he would ever get pregnant again... he had been a bit worried about what they would do if his chemical make-up had turned his insides one-hundred percent female. "I'm glad that it isn't something that we'll really have to worry about, you know?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean." He smiled because yeah, suppose Sam were to get pregnant a second time... how would they hide it or explain it? They had lives established here and by a couple of years from now, the twins would at least be in preschool. It wasn't like they could relocate every time Sam got pregnant just so his brother could hide out at home where no one knew him. Reaching across the table, Dean gently laced their hands together. "There's more," Dean said indicating to the second piece of paper that was stapled to Steven's results.

Curious, Sam flipped the page over and his eyes widened once again when he realized what that small black font meant for him. "Are... are you serious?" Sam asked with shock in his voice. At Dean's nod, Sam felt his chest tighten. "But how?" _I didn't think this was even possible _Sam thought to himself.

Dean stood and walked over to where his brother was sitting. Squatting in front of him, Dean smiled. "Apparently, one of the court workers owed Bobby a favor and well... this is what he spent it on so as of tonight, you and I both share complete legal custody of 'em." Dean explained. Ever since their first trip to the hospital with Nick, Dean had wanted Sam to have just as much of a legal say as he had but he knew that getting Sam listed on the papers could take a while... especially with having to explain why two young men had two children anyways. Needless to say, he had been shocked when he had opened the letter from Bobby stating that Sam was now legally recognized as Abby and Nick's parent and if his knees had buckled with gratitude toward their friend... well, nobody needed to know.

"That's... that's unbelievable," Tears filled Sam's hazel eyes and Dean reached up to gently wipe them away. "I... I can't... I can't believe it." After being turned away at the hospital a little over a month ago, he hadn't been sure what his future experiences would be like... he certainly hadn't expected this. Sam smiled at his brother and wiped his eyes before he gently laid the contents of the envelope down on the table. He didn't want anything to happen to either sheet of paper.

"So, what would you like to do next?" Dean asked, standing and returning to his seat.

"Well, what are my options?" Sam asked, finding that he was quite enjoying himself tonight and he was glad that Dean had thought to do something.

"Hmm... I rented a couple of movies we could watch," Dean was hoping that his brother would suggest another form of entertainment but he hadn't wanted to say it just in case Sam was still too nervous. Aside from allowing Sam to be able to relax, he had hoped that having the test results back would bolster his chances of their relationship progressing some more, physically that is.

Sam nodded, biting his lip nervously. A part of him wanted to move forward as he knew Dean did and another part of him was still holding back. Sam gazed up at his brother, seeing the patiently hopeful look on his face and his eyes then turned to focus on the dishes that had been left behind and were the evidence of just what Dean had thought to do for him tonight. "Anything else you want to do?" Sam asked, blushing just the slightest as he mustered up the smallest bit of courage.

Dean laughed. "I could think of a couple of things." He replied honestly.

"Well then, why don't we save the movies for another night." Sam suggested, wondering if his brother would go for it or not.

"I think I like that idea," Dean said as he stood and pulled Sam up with him, kissing him gently. "They were recommended by some teen who looked like a freakin' raccoon anyways."

Sam laughed, now slightly curious as to what Dean had rented. _I'll find out later_ he thought as he followed his brother down the hall and into their room, softly closing the door behind him.

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Hey! So, how was that? I hope you enjoyed it and will leave me a review! I'll try to update soon. Thanks again! :)


	44. Chapter 44

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter :) I know it's been a little while but my geology class is kicking my butt :( and I'm not even a geology major but I have to take it for General Ed... yuck! Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys the chapter. I don't mean this to sound egotistical but in a strange way, I'm really proud of this story and I can't tell you how much I enjoy writing this story. I'm totally stoked to have all of you along for the ride too! :D

**Warning: there is a love scene in this chapter. If you don't want to read it then skip down to the first scene change and start reading there. **

Thanks again for reading everyone and I hope to hear back from all of you! I'll try to update this after I update my other story, 'Family Matters'. :)

* * *

Dean heard the soft click of the door shutting and turned around, his tie hanging loosely from his fingers. A smile formed on his face when he saw Sam standing in the middle of the room, obviously unsure of what to do with himself. "Happy Valentine's Day," He whispered as he walked over to his brother. Reaching out, he gently cupped Sam's face in his hands and leaned in to kiss him, slowly licking his way inside his brother's mouth. Dean smirked when Sam let out a small moan. _Mission accomplished _Dean thought to himself, silently grinning.

"Right back at ya," Sam smiled, pulling back after a moment. He felt genuinely surprised that over the past few weeks he had come to enjoy that small bit of intimacy with Dean and it made him be a tad bit more excited to see how the rest of the night would go.

Dropping his hands from Sam's face, Dean moved to begin to unbutton the itchy dress shirt he had decided to wear for his little surprise date this evening. "Ahh, finally!" He said with over-exaggerated relief in his voice as he threw it in the direction of the hamper, not looking or caring to see if it actually met its mark or not.

Sam laughed a little at his brother's antics before he hesitantly slipped his arms inside of the sweatshirt he was wearing and began to take it off followed by the long sleeve shirt he had on. Shyly lifting his head to look at Dean who was sitting on the edge of their bed, undressed down to only the slacks he had on which were unzipped and the belt hanging loose. _Does he really want this?_ Sam asked himself as he wondered if he did give his brother a way out of this relationship, would he take it? They hadn't planned to ever have a relationship but they did now and a part of Sam was worried that Dean only stayed in it because of his brother's insane amount of loyalty to family.

"Come here," Dean encouraged from where he sat on the bed, unaware of the doubts that were playing around in Sam's head.

Swallowing, Sam took small, hesitant steps until he ended up in front of Dean. "Are... are you sure?" He asked quietly.

"Sure about what?" Dean asked, confused as to what Sam was talking about. _Please don't change your mind_ he silently thought to himself. He didn't think that his libido could handle being teased like that after such a long dry spell.

"About us," Sam started as he motioned between the two of them. "I mean, you've never showed any interest in guys and I'm sure that there's some hot girl in town you could go find tonight, right? Er, well maybe not tonight but still... Dean..." Sam drifted off, his voice shaking and raising in pitch as he got more worked up.

Sighing, Dean reached up and pulled Sam down so that his brother was forced to sit in his lap. "Sammy, please don't worry okay?" He smiled softly, his hands gently stroking the smooth skin of his brother's back.

"But..." Sam began again before Dean silenced him with a kiss. Sam's eyes fluttered closed as he relaxed into the kiss and he unconsciously scooted a little further up on Dean's lap.

"I am exactly where I want to be, alright?" Dean reassured as he leaned their foreheads together. Dean couldn't pin point when exactly his feelings had begun to shift or even what it was he was feeling but he found that he was content sharing a home and a life with Sam. He enjoyed coming home from work at the end of the day and knowing that Sam would be there and he enjoyed the solid warmth that was next to him every night and he wanted more of it... a lot more of it.

"Promise?" Sam asked, needing to know that Dean was being truthful about what he wanted for himself.

"Promise. Now less talk and more action," Dean smiled when his words had the effect he was hoping for and Sam smiled back at him, rolling his eyes. The two of them kissed for several more minutes, exploring the now somewhat familiar taste of each other before Dean slowly began to lower them back onto the bed with Sam on top of him. Sam and Dean just stared at each other, small smiles gracing their faces before Dean reached up and tucked some of Sam's hair behind his ear.

Sam laid on top of Dean, propping himself up by planting his hands firmly on the bed and just watched as Dean continued to smile at him. _He wants this_ Sam thought to himself, feeling the tiniest bit surprised that this relationship was something that Dean wanted. _He wants me_ he realized and with a shaky breath, Sam shifted some of his weight so that he could hold himself up with one arm. Biting his lip, he reached out for one of Dean's hands, tangling their fingers together as he dragged Dean's hand downward to a much more intimate area.

Dean grinned and he kissed Sam again, lowering the zipper on his brother's jeans and slowly slipping his hand inside. He heard Sam's breath hitch and it made him chuckle a little. "Let's get a little more comfy, hmm?" Dean suggested before he helped Sam tug his jeans off.

Sam blushed once his jeans were finally off, leaving him in nothing but his boxers. Dean had seen him in a similar position before but things had been quite different back then. For one, he had been at the end of his pregnancy and had gained quite a bit of weight by that point. By now though, Sam had shed all of the excess weight he had gained and was back to his normal range and it may seem strange, but Sam was a little nervous about that. When he had still been carrying the twins, there had been a very obvious reason for their activities and his appearance but now he didn't have them to blame and it left him feeling a little vulnerable.

"You're thinking too much," Dean said softly, interrupting Sam's private thoughts. He had seen the small frown that was forming on his brother's face and he wanted to get rid of it as quickly as possible.

"Sorry," He replied offering Dean a small smile realizing a moment later that somehow Dean had managed to take his slacks off without dislodging him. _Guess there's another reason for this_ he thought to himself, blushing an even deeper color when he felt Dean's hard length against the inside of his thigh.

"It's alright," Dean reassured before he moved to roll them so that he was now the one on top. Smiling, he leaned down to kiss Sam again, delving his tongue inside before he pulled back, sitting up and staring down at his brother. Tucking his fingers into the waistband of the boxers Sam was wearing, Dean pulled them off causing Sam to duck his eyes. Dean hadn't seen him this naked in a long, long time and Sam felt extremely exposed. Seeing his brother's nervousness and embarrassment, Dean quickly shed his own boxers and laid down, covering Sam's body with his hoping to put them on a level playing field. "You blush too easily." He teased, hoping that a little bit of banter would help to relax Sam some more.

Sam groaned slightly at the weight of having Dean be on top of him before he turned to narrow his eyes at his brother. "Bite me." He growled.

"If you insist," Dean smirked as he waggled his eyebrows making Sam laugh. "Seriously though Sammy, you have got nothing to be embarrassed about."

Biting his lip, Sam nodded. "Now whose the one talking too much?" Sam asked slowly getting more used to the feel of Dean's bare skin against his.

Dean laughed. "Bossy tonight, are we?" He asked taking advantage of the fact that Sam was beginning to relax again and slipped his hand in between them, smirking when Sam's breath hitched again. He could feel Sam's arms wrap a bit tighter around him and he smiled at the fact that Sam was starting to have the reactions he'd been hoping for. He had obviously known that Sam was going to be nervous tonight but he just hoped that after tonight, Sam would realize that they were a real couple and be just as... excited about things as he was.

Sam could feel Dean's lube slick fingers working inside of him and it made his eyes flutter shut. "Dean..." He breathed squirming a bit, remembering the feeling of Dean being inside him almost five months ago. _You're safe here, always will be_ Sam remembered hearing those words coming from his brother all those months ago and it was with startling clarity that he realized he still felt safe.

"Yeah Sam?" Dean's voice sounded strained as he held himself back, making sure to stretch Sam completely knowing that it had been quite a while for his brother.

"Nothing, nothing... just ah..." Sam drifted off as he became more and more distracted by the feel of Dean's fingers. _Just realized that I don't want to be anywhere else either _Sam thought to himself but didn't dare say that out loud.

"What do you think? More or...?" Dean asked a few moments later, trying to determine if he could finally obey his libido.

Swallowing thickly, Sam bit his lip and shook his head. "I think I'm good." He answered.

Nodding and smiling, Dean sat up turning towards the bedside cabinet and leaned over to open the drawer pulling out a condom. Steven might have said it was unlikely that Sam would ever get pregnant again but he wasn't taking any chances. After getting himself ready, Dean held the base of his cock with one hand and leaned over Sam's prone form. Not saying anything but leaning down to kiss him again, Dean slowly began to push his way inside, groaning at the sensations that began to surround him.

Sam breathed deep as he tried to adjust to the slow intrusion. Reaching up to cup Dean's face in his hands, he caused the kiss to deepen and he smirked softly when he managed to pull a quiet moan from Dean. "Slower," He requested, a little surprised that he felt like he actually had enough power to say that tonight.

Stilling his movements, Dean nodded and waited. Quirking his head to the side, he silently asked Sam a few moments later if he could move again or not. When Sam nodded, Dean continued to press his way inside until he was buried to the hilt. A deep groan filled him as he dropped his head to bury his face in Sam's neck. "Jesus Christ Sammy, holy shit..." He muttered, pressing a kiss to Sam's neck, instinctively knowing that he was not going to last long at all.

Sam laughed a little, turning his neck more to the side and groaning when Dean wrapped his hand around him. "Dean..." He gasped, digging his fingers into his brother's sides at the intense and rather pleasureful feelings Dean was creating in him. Gripping tighter to his brother's waist, Sam moaned and peppered the side of Dean's face with small kisses.

Dean didn't respond, he didn't think he could respond so he just kept thrusting. He matched his pulls on Sam's hard and weeping dick with his thrusts and it was only a few moments later when Sam gasped once more and his head tilted back, his eyes closing in pleasure.

Dean watched Sam's face as he rode out his orgasm and it caused his breathing to speed up. Sam whimpered from too much stimulation when Dean kept pumping him through the aftershocks and it wasn't long after that when Dean's own thrusts began to get jerky. "Oh God..." Dean mumbled against the skin of Sam's neck, his body shaking with the force of his orgasm. Collapsing against Sam after it was over, Dean wrapped his arms around his younger brother as best he could and leaned up once more to kiss him passionately. "That... that was awesome." He grinned, hoping that the smile on Sam's face meant that he felt the same way.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, it was..." Sam agreed before he frowned and a grimace appeared on his face.

"What?" Dean asked with a tinge of concern in his voice.

"I'm sticky," Sam complained causing Dean to start laughing. "What? It feels weird."

Nodding, Dean slowly began to pull out, placing a soft kiss on Sam's lips. "I'll be right back." He said before he quickly walked across the room to open the door and headed out into the hall, not bothering to put anything on. He knew that no one else was home. Dean returned a moment later with a wet washcloth and gently began to clean Sam off. Smiling down at his brother, Dean dropped the washcloth beside the bed and laid down next to him, wrapping a protective arm around Sam. The two of them laid in silence for a while, occasionally exchanging soft kisses before Dean turned his head to the side and caught a glimpse of the alarm clock beside the bed. "I should probably go get the rugrats." He whispered even as he stayed exactly where he was.

Sam nodded sleepily. "Yeah," He mumbled.

Dean laughed a little and pressed a final kiss to Sam's temple before he climbed out of bed. Smiling affectionately, he pulled the covers back over Sam's still naked form. _Sleep tight baby, I'll be __back _he silently promised knowing that the person lying in the bed was someone he would never walk away from. Walking over to the closet, he quickly snagged a pair of sweats and tugged them on before grabbing a long sleeve shirt and a jacket. Picking his keys up from the nightstand, Dean quietly headed out of the house, being sure to lock up behind him.

~DW/SW~

Dean woke early the next morning, a smile forming on his lips when he felt Sam snuggled up next to him. Dropping his head, he gently pressed a kiss to Sam's forehead. He had greatly enjoyed last night and not just because he had finally gotten to do something that he had been restricted from for a while now but because he felt like Sam now realized that the two of them were actual boyfriends and in a relationship together... not just two actors playing the part. Snuggling back underneath the covers, Dean drifted back to sleep.

~DW/SW~

Both Sam and Dean were disturbed from their sleep about an hour later by the sound of thunder outside. "What time is it?" Sam asked quietly, still keeping his head on Dean's chest as he listened to the steady thump-thump of his brother's heartbeat that matched the sound of the rain outside pelting against the windows.

"Shit," Dean groaned when he saw that the alarm clock display was blank.

"What?" Sam asked, beginning to sit up a little.

"Power's out." Dean answered as he pushed the covers back and climbed out of bed, pulling on a hooded sweatshirt. "I'll be back in a few..." Dean drifted off when he realized that beneath the sheets and covers of their bed, Sam was completely naked.

It took Sam a moment to figure out why his brother was staring at him but when he did, a furious blush covered his cheeks and he ducked his head. Biting his lip shyly, Sam tugged the sheet a little tighter around himself.

Dean smiled when he saw his brother's shy behavior and quickly stepped over to Sam's side of the bed, leaning down to kiss him softly. "I had a really good time with you last night," He encouraged hoping to instill some self-confidence in his brother.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, ah... me too." He smiled back, letting the blankets pool around his waist.

"I might like the view but go put some clothes on before you catch a cold." Dean instructed just as a loud thunder clap struck followed by a bright flash of lightening.

"Yeah, I know," Sam nodded even as he waited for Dean to leave the room before climbing out of the bed and trying to find some warm clothes since it was absolutely freezing inside the house. Pulling on a pair of sweats, Sam felt a slight but not necessarily bad ache and it made him smile a little as he remembered just how wonderful and pleasant the night had turned out to be.

Sighing when he heard his children wake with the next thunder clap, Sam hurried down the hall and walked into their nursery. "Shh, it's alright you two," Sam soothed as he walked over to Abby's crib first. "It's just a storm, I promise you it can't hurt you." He gently picked the little girl up and held her against his shoulder, feeling his daughter grasp tightly to the sweatshirt he'd put on. "Shh, daddy's got you baby. It's okay," Rearranging Abby in his arms, Sam lovingly wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her forehead. _I don't think this is going to work too well _Sam thought to himself as he contemplated how he could hold both of his children. It had been easier to do when they had been younger and were smaller but now they were healthy and chubby almost three-month-olds who liked to squirm around quite a bit.

"Hey, I couldn't get the back up generator going but I started a fire in the living room and... ah, want some help?" Dean asked once he realized that Sam was struggling a bit to keep a hold on Abby as he attempted to pick Nick up.

"Yes please," Sam replied, a relieved smile forming on his face when Dean picked Nick up and began to soothe their son.

"God Nick, you sure you didn't eat beans last night?" Dean muttered when he smelled just how stinky his son's diaper was. He quickly walked over to the changing table and expertly exchanged his son's wet and heavy diaper for a fresh, clean one. With the twins quickly approaching three months of age, both Sam and Dean had become quite talented at diaper changes and Dean had Nick dressed in fresh pajamas and wrapped up in a blanket in no time. "Come on, let's go out to the living room. They'll be warmer there."

Sam nodded and followed Dean down the hall, gently laying Abby down in her bouncer seat while he set about making up a bed for the four of them. "Hopefully school's canceled." Sam muttered, mostly to himself.

Dean laughed a little. "Didn't you just have a day off recently or something?" He asked even as it occurred to him that if the town's power really was out, then chances were that there was no way that the store would be open today.

Sam nodded. "Doesn't mean I don't want more days off though." He smirked grabbing one of the flashlights that Dean had found and set it by the makeshift bed, just in case. It wasn't dark enough inside the house to need it yet but he didn't know how long the power was going to be out for and he wanted to be prepared.

"Fair enough." Dean agreed.

"Will you watch them for a few minutes? I just want to go get some stuff." Sam requested, standing and beginning to walk towards the hall.

Dean nodded. "Sure," He took a seat on the makeshift bed and reached out to gently rearrange the blankets around his children.

Sam nodded his thanks and then hurried down the hall. He returned a few minutes later with mittens, caps, and pacifiers for both twins. "Alright, come here sweetheart." Sam cooed when he picked Abby up and nestled her in his arms, trying to keep his little daughter warm. Dean took the little green cap that had a dinosaur sewn onto it and gently placed it on Nick's head, followed by the mittens.

"There we go, all nice and warm." Sam smiled once he'd put the pink and frilly mittens on his daughter's hand. A moment later, Abby's face scrunched up and she began to cry. "Aw, what's the matter hon?" Sam asked, carefully lifting her up so that he could perform a sniff-test, finding that nope she smelled as fresh as a daisy. Picking up the purple pacifier, Sam tried to gently insert it into her mouth. He frowned when she rejected it.

"Here let me see her," Dean instructed since they both knew that when Abby was upset, it was usually Dean that she wanted.

Sam nodded and handed Abby over to her papa, watching as she turned her head towards Dean's chest and opened her mouth. "Aw, I know you're hungry but we currently don't have anything to heat your bottle up with sweetheart." Dean apologized, trying to comfort her in some other way. It was only a moment later when Nick decided to join in with Abby and Sam and Dean suddenly had their hands full with two crying and hungry babies and no power.

~DW/SW~

"Honey, I know it's not as good as your usual grub but it's what I've got right now." Dean told Abby who was currently not interested whatsoever in drinking the cold formula from her bottle.

"She doesn't want it either?" Sam asked, trying to get Nick to drink too. The little boy kept squirming and trying to push the bottle away.

"No she doesn't. Maybe they're just not hungry right now?" Dean suggested, a look of hope on his face.

Sam quirked his brow at his brother with a look that asked 'are you kidding'. "Food, besides a diaper change, is the first thing that the two of them have wanted every morning for the past three months. I don't think that's randomly changing today." He deadpanned. Turning back to look at Nick, Sam sighed and bit his lip. He wasn't sure if he still could but at this point it was worth a shot so he gently laid Nick down on his back in front of him and unzipped the sweatshirt he was wearing.

"Ah... Sam?" Dean asked, looking up in time to see his brother carefully raise Nick to his chest.

"He won't drink his formula and I know he's hungry so..." Sam drifted off, starting to feel embarrassed. What if Dean thought this was weird? "Come on buddy, you can do it." He encouraged, wincing a little when Nick finally latched on. Sam was genuinely surprised when he realized that Nick was able to feed and he smiled softly, despite the small pit of worry that had planted itself in his stomach.

"Is it working?" Dean asked hesitantly, unsure of what he thought of seeing his brother breastfeed their children. Glancing towards the door, he silently prayed that their dad wasn't going to get home anytime soon. He didn't really think that the man would react well to coming upon that scene.

"Um, yeah... yeah it is." Sam answered, closing his eyes for a moment as he tried to get used to the feel of his son suckling at his chest. "You gonna leave any for your sister, hunh kiddo?" He asked, unsure of just how much milk he was producing.

"Guess he is," Dean muttered when Nick stopped a few moments later.

Placing Nick against his shoulder, Sam patted the little boy's back until he heard a healthy sounding burp.

Dean waited until Sam had laid Nick down in his bouncer and then handed Abby off to him. "Hopefully she likes it as much as he did." He said before he stood and walked into the kitchen, opening one of the cupboards. When he walked back out into the living room a few minutes later with two bowls of cereal in his hands, he saw that Abby did like it as much as Nick had and apparently wasn't quite finished yet.

"Thanks," Sam said gratefully when Dean placed his cereal in front of him.

"No problem." Dean responded before shoving a spoonful of Honey Nut Cheerio's into his mouth.

"I'm um... I'm sorry if this is weird," Sam said softly a few minutes later, pointing his chin downward to where Abby still was. "I just... I didn't know what else to do."

Dean shook his head, pausing a little. It was weird to see but it was also kind of cool and besides that, completely necessary if they wanted to get their children fed. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you were able to get them to stop screaming." He smiled when Sam glanced down at their daughter who had pulled away from Sam's chest and now had her eyes closed peacefully.

"You all done?" Sam asked, hoping that this morning feed would keep his two children satisfied for a couple of hours, at least.

"Here, I'll take her." Dean said so that Sam could finally eat his own breakfast. "Aw yeah, was that good stuff daddy had?" He asked Abby, winking at Sam when his brother shyly ducked his head at the comment.

Sam could remember the first time he'd ever used the breast pump so many months ago and how much he had hated himself and his body for betraying him like that. He hadn't wanted to admit to himself what was happening to him and he had been angry that he couldn't stop any of the effects of the pregnancy. Now though... looking at his two slumbering children, Sam felt a sense of gratefulness for the way things had turned out. He had two beautiful children which he hadn't ever even imagined having at the start of this rather crazy and scary journey, his family was still in one piece and looking up over at his brother, he realized that he had a loving partner to share it with. _Yeah, things are actually working out okay _he thought to himself, moving to lie down on his side. Gently, he reached out and wiggled his son's pajama-covered foot. "Hi buddy, hey Nick," He smiled when a smile formed on his son's face, his tongue poking out just the slightest. "What ya doing?"

Nick had smiled for the first time a couple of days ago when their dad had been holding him. Dean had been working late and Sam had been getting the bath ready. John had picked up one of the little rubber ducky bath toys and squirted it over his grandson's belly, making the little boy smile and kick his legs. Needless to say, Sam had been ecstatic.

"Alright, I guess I should go see if the boss wants me or not..." Dean sighed, really not looking forward to driving into town for what he was sure was just going to be getting told to go home until the power came back on. Kneeling down, he gently laid Abby on her stomach beside her brother.

Sam nodded sympathetically. Glancing out the window, he could see the trees swaying almost violently in the wind and he decided that even if class wasn't canceled, he was taking a sick day. "We'll be waiting. Say bye to papa guys," Sam picked up one of Nick's little hands and made their son wave to Dean.

Dean smiled, kneeling down to kiss Nick's forehead. "Bye buddy, bye sweetheart," He said kissing Abby's forehead. Pausing, he turned to kiss Sam's cheek just as they heard the sound of the lock on the front door being jiggled. Quirking a brow, Dean stood and quickly walked over to the window. "It's just dad," He sighed when he realized that he could see the older man's truck parked out front. "Hey dad," Dean greeted once John had stepped into the warm room and out of the freezing cold storm that was roaring outside.

"Boys," John greeted back, shivering slightly. "I'll be back in a minute." He said before he headed down the hall to change into some dry clothes. Returning a few minutes later and running a towel over his hair, John took a seat on the couch, smiling down at his granddaughter.

"You're home way later than I thought you'd be." Dean commented.

"Yeah well, we had a problem at the facility so I had to get that taken care of first and that took a while." John explained. "By the way, no work for you today."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "How would you know that?" Dean asked.

"Drove by the store on my way home, closed... just like everything else around here." He muttered, yawning softly.

A smile forming on his face, Dean nodded. "Hear that baby, papa doesn't have to go work!" He said excitedly. Granted he wished that it wasn't raining buckets outside but he would take what he could get. Especially if it meant a day spent at home with Sam and their munchkins.

Sam and John both laughed a little. "Guess the five of us are hanging out today then," He smiled, watching his partner and daughter together.

"What's this?" John asked a moment later, picking up a piece of paper that had been lying carefully stacked on the coffee table.

Sam looked at it curiously for a moment before he recognized the several sheets as being the delightful surprises he had gotten the previous night and he blushed, looking over at Dean. He wasn't sure how to explain either announcement to their dad. Walking over to Sam, Dean took a seat next to him and smiled.

"Well ah, we actually got some really good news last night." He started, watching as their dad set the packet of papers down on the table and turned to face his two sons. He kind of wanted their dad to hear what he had to say from him... not from reading it in a letter.

"Really, what about?" John asked with curiosity in his voice.

"Two things, the first is that Bobby sent us a letter yesterday. Apparently, a court worker owed him a favor for getting rid of a poltergeist a few years back... Bobby had him change the records so that it states that both Sam and I adopted Nick and Abby. We've both got the same parental rights now seeing as how the court thinks that we are their adoptive parents." Dean explained.

"Oh, wow... that's um, that's great boys." John stated while nodding slightly. It wasn't that he didn't genuinely think that that was good news but it made him feel a little bit jealous at just how well everyone else had reacted to his son's situation. It made him feel like he was the bad guy.

Dean nodded back at their dad. "Yeah it is. Bobby's been great." He commented watching how their dad turned his head away and rubbed the back of his neck. _What's going on with you?_ Dean silently asked.

"What's the other good news?" John asked, continuing the conversation forward.

"Well um, this might sound a bit weird but Sam and I went and saw Steven a little over a week ago to have some tests done." Dean started, not completely sure how to explain the fact that both of them had now essentially undergone fertility tests.

"For what?" John asked even though he wasn't completely sure he wanted to know. These past few weeks he had been making a conscious effort to accept his son's new relationship and while he was grateful to get to be a part of Abby and Nick's lives again... he really didn't want to put any thought at all into just what Sam and Dean were doing.

"I wanted to know if there was a chance that something like this could ever happen again," It was Sam who replied this time. "I figured that before we even did anything, it would be a good idea to know just what we were getting into and what our chances were."

"What did Steven tell you guys?" John asked nervously.

"He said that while he doesn't think that he could ever completely rule out the possibility that maybe someday Nick and Abby won't have another playmate but it's pretty unlikely." Sam answered, glancing over to where his children were lying. He smiled sweetly when he saw that both of them had fallen asleep.

John nodded again, slowly this time as he tried to process what he'd just been told. "What... what do you boys want?" He asked in a quiet tone of voice a few minutes later.

Sam and Dean looked at each other for a moment before they turned back to face their dad. "Um, to be honest... I don't really know. I mean, we have Nick and Abby and they're wonderful and if they're all we ever get then fine, I'm... I'm okay with that but if it were to happen again then I guess we would find a way to make it work but I'm a little bit relieved that there's not a super large chance." Sam responded, sitting back against the couch cushion and leaning slightly into Dean's side. "I'm happy... more than happy with what I've got and I don't really think I need anything else."

Dean grinned as he wrapped an arm around Sam's shoulder, pressing him a little bit closer. That was probably some of the best news he'd heard in a while and it made him want to jump for joy. When they had been trying to determine if the babies were human or not and when they had been fighting against the angel, he hadn't really thought that a happy outcome was possible for them. Dean didn't ever think he'd be able to describe just how glad he was that he had been wrong.

"Good, Sam, I'm glad to hear that... really." John stated with sincerity in his voice. As a parent, all he had ever really wanted was for his children to lead happy lives and watching his two children now, he knew they'd finally gotten that. And just maybe, he might be able to live with the unorthodox way things had turned out.

* * *

Hey! So how was that? I hope everything that happened in it (mainly Sam's emergency breast-feeding incident) made sense and for those of you who thought it was weird, don't worry. It's a one time thing since Sam's body isn't _that_ adapted... he just did it because they didn't have any other way to feed Nick and Abby... hope that makes sense! Thanks SO MUCH for reading! I can't wait to read everyone's thoughts. I'll try to have a new chapter posted soon. Thanks again! :)


	45. Chapter 45

Hey guys! I know I keep apologizing for the waits and they are sincere... I don't mean to make you guys wait, I just can't seem to get a break in between work and school. Even my parents have started to comment on how they never see me anymore ;P so writing time is very limited (which is annoying because I have ideas but can't quite put pen to paper too often).

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I would love to hear back from all of you. For those of you who are also reading 'Family Matters', the majority of the chapter is written, I'm just trying to make it a bit longer and the flow a little bit better so hopefully it will be up before the end of the week. Thanks again for your patience and support!

Enjoy the chapter! :)

* * *

Hearing his alarm clock beep, Dean groaned and rolled over as he reached to shut the annoying machine off. As he did so, he noticed that Sam was already up and out of bed and by the look of it, he had been for a while. He thought it was weird because he knew that Sam didn't have class today until one in the afternoon so it didn't make sense for him to be up at six if he didn't have to be. _Maybe one of the munchkins was having trouble? _He thought knowing that Nick and Abby still weren't sleeping through the night yet. Wondering where his brother was, Dean climbed out of bed and shuffled down the hall, pausing to take a quick peep into the twin's room, only to find that Sam wasn't in it. _Where the hell is he?_ Dean silently cursed, starting to get worried since he hadn't heard any other noise in the house that signaled that someone besides him was awake.

He was surprised when he walked into the living room and saw Sam curled up on the couch, underneath a blanket. _What's he doing out here?_ Dean asked himself. They hadn't fought last night or anything so he was pretty sure that Sam hadn't moved out there because he was mad at him. _And if he was, wouldn't I have been sent to the couch? _It had been about a month and a half since he and Sam had consummated their relationship and things were good... really good. As far as he could tell, both of them were happy and the twins were healthy. Smiling at the thought that things were finally going well for them, Dean decided to let Sam sleep and headed into the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee.

~DW/SW~

"Aw man, that smells delicious!" Dean grinned when he entered the front door several hours later, smelling whatever it was that their dad had decided to make for dinner tonight. Today had been a busy day at work and he was very glad to be home.

John laughed slightly and then brought his finger to his lips in a shushing motion.

"What? Are the kids sleeping?" Dean asked wondering why his dad was telling him to be quiet. He knew when his own children were most likely to be asleep and since both of them were currently playing on the living room floor, they obviously weren't the reason why.

"Sam is, he came home early from class... said he didn't feel well." John answered, glancing down the hall to Sam and Dean's closed bedroom door.

"Is he okay?" Dean asked, now feeling worried about his brother.

"He probably just caught a cold Dean, relax." John tried to reason since he could see the worry forming on his oldest son's face.

"Yeah, you're right." Dean nodded back at his dad though he didn't really believe him. "How soon until dinner?"

"Hmm... about twenty minutes, I'd say," John guessed, looking at the clock on the wall and then back at the vegetables in the frying pan.

"Alright, I'm gonna go hop in the shower." Dean decided before he made his way over to his two children, saying a quick 'hello' to them before walking into the bathroom and turning the shower on.

~DW/SW~

Dean and John were sitting at the kitchen table, enjoying the meal that John had made when Sam finally emerged into the kitchen. There were circles underneath his eyes and he looked tired. "Hey, how ya feeling? Dad told me that you came home sick." Dean asked as he stood and walked over to his brother, gently laying his hands on Sam's arms.

"Still got a headache but the nap helped," He answered, pulling away a little. He smiled gratefully when Dean handed him a glass of water and some Advil. "Thanks."

"Not a problem," Dean smiled, wanting to lean in and give Sam a gentle kiss but since their dad was standing right there he opted not to. Gentle touches were probably as much as their dad could take. "Are you hungry at all? I could make you a plate or some soup or something?"

"It's okay, I'm not that hungry right now." Sam responded before walking over to the kitchen table and taking a seat.

Dean nodded and returned to the table with their dad. The three of them talked for about fifteen minutes before the twins began to cry.

"I'll get 'em," Dean offered, standing and putting his now empty plate in the sink before walking into the living room. "What's all the screamin' and crying about, hunh guys?" He asked, kneeling down next to where Nick and Abby were lying next to each other, each under a separate play station. Nick was lying on his back, underneath the portable 'Activity Gym' that Jim had bought for them as a Christmas present. The mattress of it was blue and shaped like an elephant and there were a few toys, mostly soft animals hanging down from it for him to kick and swing at. The little boy had his head turned towards his upset sister even as he continued to wiggle around, a questioning look on his face.

Abby was also lying on her back but compared to her older brother, she was a hysterical mess.

Seeing his daughter's red and tear-streaked face, Dean picked her up and kissed her chubby cheek, trying to soothe her. "What's the problem baby girl?" He asked, softly brushing the curls away from her face and then rubbing a hand down her back. He smiled at just how gorgeous his little girl was, even when she was upset. Abby's eyes had gotten even greener as she got older and she now had a full head of curly hair. She was his princess and Dean just knew that he was going to be completely defenseless against her when she was older. Sighing rather gratefully that her teenage years were a ways away, he stood with her in his arms. "You're just cranky hunh, yeah that's the problem."

"Does she need a diaper change?" Sam asked when Dean walked back into the kitchen, Abby still crying though not as loud.

Dean shook his head. Keeping a gentle hand on the back of her head, Dean watched as she began to nod off. "I think she's just tired." He answered in a soft tone of voice, not wanting to wake her up. Dean glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost eight in the evening. "Have they had baths tonight?"

A guilty look appeared on Sam's face and he shook his head. "No, I came home from school and then fell asleep." He admitted.

"One night without a bath won't kill 'em," Dean smirked, trying to alleviate the guilty look on Sam's face. "C'mon sweetheart, I think it's your bedtime."

John gave Abby a kiss goodnight and Sam smiled at her, though he refrained from kissing her. He wasn't sure what it was exactly that he was coming down with and he didn't want to chance passing it along to his little baby.

Dean got Abby dressed in fresh pajamas and a new diaper, just in case, and then laid her down in her crib. "Sweet dreams baby," He whispered, watching as her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep. Watching her for a moment longer and then looking around the room at where the hidden protection symbols were, he decided that he might as well put Nick to bed now too. "Then we'll see what's up with your daddy." Dean muttered softly to himself.

~DW/SW~

"You feeling any better?" Dean asked for a second time that day as he and Sam lay, cuddled up next to each other in bed after Dean had put Nick to bed too.

Sam shrugged. "I don't know... not really, I probably caught something at school." He answered, laying his head on Dean's chest and sounding a bit stuffed up.

_Hopefully_ Dean silently replied as he gently tightened his grip on Sam. "That why you were on the couch this morning?" He questioned.

Sleepily, Sam nodded. "Yeah, my stomach was upset and I didn't want to wake you." He explained.

Dean bent his head to press a soft, loving kiss to Sam's forehead. "I'll get 'em tonight, hopefully a good night's sleep and you'll feel better in the morning." Dean suggested. Normally, he and Sam traded off who got the twins during the night so that it wasn't just one of them doing all of the work but seeing as how Sam wasn't feeling well tonight and he had a later shift the next day, Dean figured he could do it.

"Thanks," Sam muttered gratefully before he drifted off to sleep.

~DW/SW~

Two days later and Sam was still feeling sick to his stomach. Dean had awoken the past two days to the sound of Sam barfing in the bathroom. It had instantly brought back some rather unpleasant memories of when Sam had first started to go through morning sickness and Dean prayed that that wasn't the case now. Luckily, Steven was coming over later in the afternoon to check Sam out. They both knew that if this really was just a simple cold then a trip to a general practitioner would be more than enough but with their history, Dean was a little paranoid. After all, what the hell would they do if Sam was actually pregnant and they went to go see someone who didn't know about their previous... adventure? He didn't imagine that it would be good.

"I'll take 'em with me, alright?" He whispered, walking into his bedroom and over to where Sam was lying underneath the covers.

"Hmm," Sam nodded, barely awake.

Dean chuckled slightly and then leaned down to press a soft kiss to Sam's fevered forehead. He knew that taking both Abby and Nick with him would complicate the grocery shopping but he would rather have them with him then leave them at home where Sam would have to take care of them when he wasn't feeling well. "Sleep," He ordered, fixing the blankets over Sam and then leaving the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click, hoping that Steven would have good news for them.

~DW/SW~

Needless to say that both boys were extremely relieved when Steven came over later that night, examined Sam and then started to laugh at them. Sure, Sam had a fever and was throwing up but the flu was going around and to him, it was a more than fair chance that Sam was just another one of its sufferers. He had told them to call him if Sam's symptoms weren't gone a week from now and to just take it easy. Sam and Dean had agreed to call him back and he had left, leaving the two of them feeling a little bit like it was Steven's subtle way of telling them that they were overreacting.

~DW/SW~

"Where are you boys off to today?" John asked about a week and a half later when he saw Dean load the double-stroller that he had bought several months ago into the trunk of the Impala. He didn't remember either one of his sons mentioning that the twins had a doctor's appointment today so he was surprised to see Dean packing up like they had somewhere to be. The boys were usually pretty careful with where they brought the twins and just who they exposed them to. Both Sam and Dean were well aware of the dangers that their fellow citizens weren't so conscious of and John couldn't blame his children if they were a little over-protective. He had been the same way once upon a time.

"We thought we'd take 'em to the park... wanna come?" Dean responded as he straightened back up and shut the trunk. _I am a complete friggin' soccer mom_ he thought feeling like asking his dad to join him and Sam for a day at the park was about as domesticated as he would probably ever get.

"Nah, I can't... got some stuff I gotta do," John replied shaking his head slightly while hoping that Dean wouldn't ask for more details about what he was up to. He wanted it to be a surprise.

"Okay then..." Dean drifted off, unsure of if he wanted to know what their dad had planned. _He's not leaving is he? _Dean asked himself. "You're not ah... nothing's going on is it?" He asked as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"No, no, nothing like that," John promised knowing what his son was asking about. John didn't ever think that he would truly be done with hunting but since none of his contacts had come up with anything new in his search for the thing that had killed his Mary, he had decided to stay put for a little while longer.

Dean nodded, hoping that their dad was telling him the truth. Dean highly doubted that he would leave with their dad if he did go on a hunt... after all, that wasn't his life anymore but he would still like to know just what the man was up to and when it was that he was leaving for a hunt. "Good," He smiled at his dad.

"Well, I'll see you boys later," John nodded absently as he yanked open the driver side door of his truck and climbed in.

"Yup, bye dad," Dean waved for a moment before he turned to climb the front porch steps and headed back inside to where Sam, Nick, and Abby were.

~DW/SW~

"Hey," Dean greeted as he walked into the nursery. It was a Saturday and one of the first days where the sun had decided to come out in a while. Since he had the entire day off and Sam was thankfully feeling better, he and Sam had decided to take the twins to the park for the afternoon for their first real outing. Sure, they had taken the twins to the doctor's office or the store but they had yet to go somewhere, just the four of them for fun and Dean was actually quite excited for today. Wrapping his arms around Sam's waist, Dean smiled down at their son as Sam finished doing the snaps on Nick's onesie.

"Who is that? Who came to see you?" Sam asked his little son, relaxing back against Dean's now very familiar and solid form. "Yeah, it's papa hunh Nicky."

Nick squealed and kicked his feet as he moved around on the changing table, smiling up at his parents and enjoying the attention that they were currently showering on him.

"Hi little man," Dean smiled playfully when Sam handed Nick to him. Dean gently bounced his son in his arms, watching as the little boy turned his head to look at Sam. "Ready?" Dean asked, keeping a gentle hand on the back of Nick's head for support.

"I think we are," Sam decided looking around the room to see if he'd forgotten to put anything in the diaper bag. _We've got diapers, bottles, extra sets of clothes, the camera... I don't think we're forgetting anything. _"Did you pack the stroller and the picnic basket? And where's the diaper bag?" Sam asked, closing the lid on the box of wipes and putting them away.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, it's all in the trunk." He answered.

"Well then I think we're good... let's go." Sam picked Abby up from where she was lying in her bouncer seat at his feet and cradled her against his shoulder. "What about you pretty girl? You wanna go see the park with us?" He laughed when Abby let out a small giggle and reached for his face. "Hmm, I'll take that as a yes."

~DW/SW~

Twenty minutes later, Dean pulled the Impala up to a stop beside the street that led to the park. It was a fairly decent sized area with both grassy fields and a play structure complete with monkey bars, slides, swings and a climbing wall. Off to the side was a sandbox and next to that were picnic tables, only one of which was already occupied by another family. Dean was relieved that there weren't very many people at the park today as he wasn't sure how Sam would do dealing with strangers with their kids in tow. He knew that his brother had been getting readjusted to dealing with strangers while attending college but that had been when he was just by himself. He wasn't sure how the presence of their kids would affect Sam's behavior. _Just play it by ear _he thought, knowing that if he sensed Sam getting uncomfortable then they would head home.

"Alright guys, we're here," Dean announced waiting as a car drove by before he opened his car door. Walking around to the trunk, he pulled out the stroller and quickly unfolded it.

"Monkey number one," Sam joked, kissing his daughter's nose before he passed her over to her other father.

Dean smiled softly as he buckled her in and then covered her with a blanket. It was mid-March and even though it was a nice day out, it was still just a tad bit on the cold side for either Nick or Abby to be out without a blanket.

"And here's silly monkey number two," Sam smiled as he picked Nick up out of his car seat and placed him in the stroller.

"I think daddy's the silly one," Dean told his children, laughing when Sam stuck his tongue out at him. "Yeah, he's definitely the silly one." Leaning forward, Dean kissed Sam softly before he took the diaper bag from him. "It's okay though, I like him silly."

"Thanks, I'm glad to know that," Sam laughed as the small group made their way down the somewhat winding path to where the park was. Sam knew that his kids were still a bit too young to be able to play at the park or use the equipment but he was still excited to show it to them. And he couldn't wait to bring them here when they were old enough to actually be able to enjoy it.

Once they reached the picnic tables, Dean set the brake on the stroller and helped Sam to set up their picnic lunch. He smiled kindly at the young couple who was sitting a few feet away with their own children and at the same time, realizing that this would really be their first time interacting as a couple with their children around in public. _We'll see how it goes _he thought. "Thanks Sam, this looks awesome," He said as he took a seat on one of the wooden benches with Nick seated in his lap.

"Welcome," Sam responded sitting down to eat his own sandwich. "We'll play after papa and I eat okay sweetheart?" Keeping one hand wrapped around Abby's waist, Sam picked his sandwich up with his other and began to eat, enjoying being out with his partner and their children realizing that this was their first time really doing something like this.

~DW/SW~

"Alright, I think we've made them wait long enough," Sam smiled, softly kissing Abby's cheek, wincing when she pulled on a few strands of his hair. "Ouch baby girl, that hurts," Both twins were getting restless and Sam and Dean were eager to show them a good time.

Dean nodded and laughed. "Yeah okay, just let me put this stuff in the car." Dean said beginning to pack up the remnants of their lunch. After packing up the picnic basket with the leftover food and the utensils he and Sam had brought, Dean gently put Nick back in the stroller and stood, making sure he had the camera in his pocket. "Ok, I'll be right back... then we'll go play."

Sam nodded and sat down to wait for Dean to come back from the car. "Hold on guys, papa'll be back soon." He said when both Nick and Abby started to squirm and make a fuss.

"They're very sweet," Sam turned around when he heard the woman's voice assuming that she was speaking to him since no one else had been around when they had arrived at the park.

"Oh, ah thanks," He smiled back at her, gently bouncing Abby on his lap.

"I'm Melanie and this is my husband, Troy," She introduced, nodding to the man sitting beside her. Melanie had curly red-hair that reached to about her shoulders and she was wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Troy had a shaved head and a goatee; he was also wearing a t-shirt and jeans.

"I'm Sam and this is Abby and that's Nick in the stroller." Sam said, deciding to introduce his own family to the couple. "Oh, and this is Dean, my partner," Sam smiled when Dean walked back up to the group, bending down to pick Nick back out of his stroller. "This is Melanie and Troy,"

Dean nodded at Sam's explanation, even as he noticed how Melanie and Troy straightened up and paused in whatever they were going to say next. It made him straighten his own stance... he wasn't about to let two strangers ruin their day.

Sam noticed the couple's behavior too and turned to look at Nick. He hoped that he hadn't just made it awkward for the four of them by announcing that he and Sam were a gay couple. And what if Melanie and Troy weren't really okay with people being gay? Sam felt Dean's hand on his shoulder and it helped to ground him a little.

The could-be awkward moment was broken when a little girl with brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail ran up to Melanie and Troy. "Mom! Davin's climbing up the slide and he won't let me go down!" The girl complained as she looked back over to where the large, yellow slide was.

"Tell him I said he's not allowed to climb up the slide," Melanie instructed before the girl ran off with an annoyed look on her face.

"That would be our daughter Anna," Troy explained. "Davin's her little terrorizing brother," He smirked.

Breathing a sigh of relief that the couple didn't seem to have a problem with them, Dean nodded. "Yeah, luckily these two aren't quite big enough to pick on each other yet." It wasn't necessarily that he thought he couldn't take Troy, he was pretty sure he could, he just didn't want to have to ruin what had been a nice day with violence.

Melanie and Troy laughed a little as they nodded. "Just wait, they don't have to be that big." Melanie noted just before they heard another shout of 'MOM' coming from the playground. "Well, you guys enjoy the rest of your day," She said before standing and beginning to walk towards where her own children were.

"You too," Sam smiled back at them before he stood too. "Alright, you two ready to see the park?"

Abby yanked on his hair again and Sam took that as a yes.

~DW/SW~

John pulled up outside of the church and parked his truck, a small smile working its way onto his face as he wondered what Jim would say when he heard John's plan. Locking up his truck, John headed inside since he knew that there wasn't a sermon going on right then. He sighed when he didn't see Jim anywhere, he was hoping that he wouldn't have to make the twenty minute trip to Jim's house. Spotting a nun up at the front of the church, John quickened his steps and headed over to her. "Hi, I was wondering if you could help me with something." John started after the woman had turned around and noticed him.

"Of course, what do you need?" The nun smiled back at John.

"I'm a good friend of Pastor Jim Murphy and I was hoping to catch him, is he here?" John asked.

"Oh, Jim's such a nice man isn't he? I'm Sister Catherine," The woman reached out a hand to shake John's hand as she introduced herself.

"John... John Winchester," It still felt slightly weird to be giving people his real name but he was slowly getting used to it. "And yeah, Jim's a great guy."

Sister Catherine nodded and the two made their way down a long carpeted hallway, continuing to have polite conversation. _Never thought I'd be chatting the day away with a nun_ John thought to himself.

"Here we are, just go right in," Sister Catherine said, stopping outside of a dark wooden door.

"Thanks," John gave her one last smile and then knocked before he stepped inside the room. "Hey Jim,"

~DW/SW~

Dean smiled and laughed when he watched Sam sit on the swing, holding Nick securely with one arm. "Smile for the camera guys," He shouted as he raised the camera to take a picture of the two of them. Sam had dressed Nick in a white and brown onesie and a pair of red pants. The onesie had a dinosaur stitched on to it. Above the dinosaur was the word 'dino-mite' and Sam thought that it described his little boy pretty well. Nick was quite the little bundle of energy.

Sam smiled for the camera and then turned his head to the side to press a gentle kiss to Nick's temple. He watched as Dean put the camera back in the stroller pocket and picked Abby up before heading over to them, a happy and contented smile on his face as he continued to enjoy the day with his family.

~DW/SW~

Jim stood and walked over to John, giving his old friend a hug. "Well, this is a surprise," He smiled, his eyes twinkling. He hadn't really ever pictured John arriving unannounced at the church.

John huffed out a laugh. "Yeah, tell me about it."

"What's on your mind?" Jim asked a few moments later when he noticed that John looked a little nervous and out of place.

"I was hoping you could help me with something... something for the boys," John started knowing that his friend was probably going to get quite a kick out of hearing what it actually was. He hadn't planned one of these in almost sixteen years. And hell, Mary had been the one who had done the real work. His only job back then was to show up and hold his youngest as the priest had done his job.

Curious, Jim nodded. "Course, what is it?" He repeated.

"I was thinkin'... would you ah... would you baptize Abby and Nick?" He asked. He figured that it might be something that his boys would appreciate, especially Sam, and he wanted to do something for them. Something that was meaningful and would show that he cared too.

"I would love to," Jim beamed. Being the one to baptize his two grandchildren would be an honor for him.

John smiled and nodded. "I was really kind of hoping that we could make it be a surprise for the boys too," He explained though he wasn't totally sure how he could get the boys to the church without them getting suspicious.

"I'm sure we could work something out," The pastor replied and the two men set to work, beginning to plan their special surprise.

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Hey! So, how was the chapter? I hope you enjoyed it and please leave me a note. I'll do my best to update soon plus I think this story is almost over. Thanks again! :)


	46. Chapter 46

Hey guys! I hope everyone is having a fun and safe Holiday season. I know this chapter is a little shorter than the last couple but I'm going to be in Oregon for the next few days visiting my grandparents so I figured I'd update tonight before we left. I'm almost positive that this story is almost over but not to fear, there will be a sequel and I'm VERY excited for it :D

Anyways, enjoy! And please leave me a note... I absolutely love reviews... they make me happy. Thanks for reading! :)

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Sam smiled at the scene that greeted him when he walked into the living room with his backpack slung over one shoulder. "Hi buddy, what ya doing?" His smile widened when Nick grinned at him and shoved one of his small, chubby hands into his mouth. The little boy was currently standing on wobbly legs on Dean's thighs as his papa held him up around the waist.

"You off now?" Dean asked, tilting his head back on the couch to be able to actually see his brother.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I'm hoping that it won't take more than two hours." He explained, really not wanting to leave at all but knowing that he had to. He had a project due in one of his classes so he was meeting up with his group at the local library to work on it but he would much rather be at home with his little ones. Setting his backpack down, Sam walked over to the couch and held his hands out for his son. Raising Nick in the air a little, Sam grinned up at the drool-covered face of his little boy. Raising the bib that was around Nick's neck, he gently wiped the stickiness away. "I'll see you later, alright handsome? I love you. Have fun with Papa." He brought his son back down and placed a kiss on his cheek before handing him back to Dean.

"I'll have dinner ready for ya," Dean promised before he too gave Sam a goodbye kiss.

"I'm looking forward to it," Sam replied as he headed over to where Abby was currently sleeping in her bouncer. Softly, he kissed her forehead and gave Dean another little wave goodbye. He laughed when Dean raised Nick's tiny fist and made their son wave at him and then he was out the door.

~DW/SW~

"Hey Bobby, it's John... you got a minute?" The older father asked after his friend had picked up the phone.

"Ah, yeah sure, what's going on John?" Bobby responded as he sat back in his office chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was currently researching a creature for another hunter and it was one that he hadn't come across in a long, long time. So far, it was one that he hoped he wouldn't come across again. What with how it liked to snack on the innocent spirits of young children and such.

"Would you be able to make it into town for Jim's birthday?" John questioned, glancing up at the calender that was hanging on the wall of Jim's kitchen.

"That's in a couple of weeks right? End of the month?" Bobby asked since he wasn't exactly sure. After all, it wasn't real typical for hunters to get together and celebrate birthdays. Most of the time, they were too busy hiding out from the law or trying to kill some hell-spawn that was wreaking havoc on unsuspecting civilians to take that kind of a break.

"Yeah, right... it's the twenty-ninth," John clarified, hoping that Bobby would be able to make it... he knew that his sons thought extremely highly of their adopted uncle and his presence might make the event seem extra special.

"Probably, why? You throwing a party or somethin'?" He asked, scratching his bearded chin a little as he stood and crossed into the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, he pulled out a beer and proceeded to pop the top off.

"Yeah, actually, Jim and I are ah... planning something for Sam and Dean. Jim's gonna baptize the two munchkins and we were gonna use his birthday as kind of a cover to get the boys to the church." He explained, hoping that Bobby would like their plan. "Bob?" John asked when Bobby still hadn't said anything a few minutes later.

"Hunh," Bobby finally responded causing John to quirk an eyebrow.

"What do you mean 'hunh'?" He asked confused. John just wanted a yes or no answer.

"It's just that are you sure that's really a smart idea?" Bobby asked as he thought about how adamant Dean was about there not being any sort of higher being out there, at least not one that cared about him or his family. "I mean, are you sure that it's something that they would want... both of them?"

John swallowed thickly as he thought about what Bobby was saying. Grumbling slightly, he realized that his old friend did have a point. _Guess we didn't think this through really _he thought to himself.

"I'm not saying that you shouldn't do this John... you might just wanna ask 'em about it first." He suggested hoping that he hadn't just made John change his mind on doing something for Sam and Dean. He knew that his friend loved his two children but he didn't always have the best ways of showing it so when John did do something for them... well, it was extra special. So he didn't necessarily want to put the kabosh on it but still... this was kind of a big deal to just plan for someone without even talking to them about it first.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." John sighed.

"Keep me posted alright Johnny? Cause if Jim does end up baptizing 'em, then you can be damn sure I'll want to come." Bobby added, the Winchesters were more his family than anyone else he could think of and he wanted to celebrate every milestone he could with them. The front of his fridge was littered with pictures of Nick and Abby that Sam and Dean had sent to him, proving just how much he adored their newest additions.

"Yeah, yeah, I will." John muttered, kind of feeling like the wind had been taken out of his sails a bit. He knew that Bobby was right and that his friend hadn't meant anything by it but still... he just wanted to do something for Sam, Dean, Nick, and Abby. He knew that he hadn't always put his children first and he hoped like hell that Sam and Dean had learned from his mistakes but maybe now this could be his chance to change.

"What did Bobby say?" Jim asked as he walked back into the kitchen where John was sitting when he noticed that the phone was lying face-down on the table.

"He thinks we should run it by the boys first," John answered. "I get what he's saying, I do because yeah okay I guess Sam and Dean do have different views on religion but it kind of takes the surprise out of it if we do that though."

Jim nodded, a small smirk on his face. While Dean hadn't ever been outright disrespectful, it was obvious that the young man had a hard time believing that there was someone out there. Sam, on the other hand, was much more open to the idea and yeah, now that he thought about it Jim could see the two of them wanting to do different things.

"So, what are we gonna do?" John asked, sitting back in his chair and accepting the coffee mug that Jim passed to him. "Cancel it or ask 'em and do it anyway?"

"I say we ask 'em," Jim decided as he reached for the phone. "They might surprise us."

John nodded though he wasn't all that confidant that there would be a positive answer.

~DW/SW~

Dean was just finishing heating up and Nick and Abby's bottles when the phone rang. Reaching with one hand to grab it off the hook, he placed it against his shoulder. "Hello?" He asked as he continued screwing the tops onto the bottles and then turned each one upside down over the sink to make sure that it wouldn't leak.

"Dean, it's Jim," The pastor replied causing a surprised smile to appear on Dean's face.

"Oh hey Jim, what's up?" Dean asked, keeping the phone in place with his shoulder and picking up the bottles, one in each hand as he walked into the living room. Setting the bottles down on the coffee table, he set about arranging the pillows so that his kids could have some support while they ate since he obviously wasn't going to be able to hold them.

"Well, your dad's over here and we were wondering if and when you and Sam could come over today. There's ah... there's something that we'd like to ask you two." Jim explained.

"Ah, Sam's not home right now but ah, he should be in about forty minutes or so." Dean said, glancing at the watch on his wrist. "We could come over after that?" He offered, smiling at his little girl as he placed the bottle against Abby's waiting mouth. He then stuffed a small pillow underneath the end of the bottle to keep it from rolling.

"Yeah sure, that'll work. I'm home all day so..." Jim drifted off.

"Okay, great, we'll see you guys later then." Dean agreed before he hung up, placing the phone on the table and turning his attention back to his little ones. "Wonder what your grandpa's are up to?" He muttered curiously as he gently rubbed Nick's stomach.

~DW/SW~

After Nick and Abby had finished eating and were burped, Dean picked up the house phone and dialed Sam's number. Waiting for Sam to pick up, Dean sat back on the couch, smiling at feeling the heavy weights of his children on each side of him. Nick was on his left side, awake and mouthing at the ear of his little stuffed dog. Abby, on the other hand, was asleep, curled into Dean's right side and using his forearm as a support for her head and neck. "Hey Sam, it's me. Ah, give me a call when you get this. Jim just called and asked that you and I come over to his house when you're done so I figured I could pick you up. Anyways, talk to you soon. Bye." He said, hanging up after he'd finished leaving his message. After checking to make sure that both his son and daughter were secure from not falling off of the couch, Dean put his head back and fell into a light snooze, enjoying the fact that he did not have work that day.

~DW/SW~

"I think we did really well," Julie, one of the girls in Sam's group said as they walked out of the library.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, now we just gotta make sure we don't forget anything once we actually get up there." He smirked as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. Looking at the screen, he saw that he had one missed call and a message from Dean. Hoping that everything was okay at home, Sam excused himself from the conversation and clicked to listen to his voice mail. Glad that it wasn't a message telling him that something had happened to either one of his children, Sam called Dean back. "Hey," He smiled once Dean had answered the phone.

"You get my message?" Dean asked, sounding groggy. Sniffing slightly, he scrubbed a hand over his eyes and sat up a little more.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, um... I'm done now so..." He drifted off, waving at another one of his group members as they walked toward their car.

"Okay, give me twenty minutes?" Dean replied, gently moving Abby a little so that he could stand from the couch.

"Sure, see ya soon." Sam smiled affectionately as he took a seat on one of the benches outside the library and hung up.

Dean nodded, slipped his phone back into his pocket and began to gather up the supplies that he and Sam had come to need if they took the twins anywhere. Once he had the diaper bag packed and stored in the trunk of the Impala, he went back inside and gathered up his two munchkins. "Let's go get daddy." He smiled at them as he buckled them in, turning to watch for a moment as Nick stared at himself in the toy mirror that Dean had decided to hang in the back seat. "Yeah, you can thank your papa for those good looks." He smirked, making a funny face at his son.

~DW/SW~

"You waiting for a ride or do you want a lift?" Derek asked as he and Julie walked up to where Sam was sitting.

Sam nodded. "Nah, it's okay. They should be here soon." He replied, blushing slightly. He knew that it wasn't super odd considering his age that he didn't have his license but still, when he went to school with a bunch of older people who all had their own cars and he had to rely on either Dean or Laura to get him... it was a bit of a bummer.

"Alright, I guess we'll see you on Monday then. Enjoy your weekend man." Derek smiled as he slung an arm around Julie's shoulders.

"Thanks, you too!" Sam called back and with that, Derek and Julie walked out into the parking lot and over to the young man's Mustang.

Sam watched them walk away, observing how obvious it was that Derek and Julie were dating. A part of him wondered if it was that obvious that he and Dean were a couple... not that very many people had any kind of inclination about his sexual preference. He had almost said that his boyfriend was coming to pick him up but then he had realized that he had to see these people, who he really didn't know very well, on an almost daily basis and that was revealing a little bit more information than he was comfortable with. Nobody in his class, besides Laura, knew that he had children or was even in a relationship and he was hoping to keep that way just a little bit longer. Sam was drawn out of his thoughts when he heard the distinct rumbling of the Impala as it pulled into the parking lot. Picking up his backpack, Sam hopped off of the bench and walked towards the sidewalk.

~DW/SW~

"There's daddy," Dean smiled as he pulled the car up to a stop and reached over to unlock the passenger side door. "Hey, how'd it go?" He asked after Sam had climbed in.

"Good, went a lot better than I thought it would." He answered honestly since his teachers had assigned the groups. While Sam wasn't real overly-friendly with anyone in his class, there were a few people that he had talked to a bit more than others... unfortunately, none of them were in his group. "Any idea what Jim and Dad want to talk to us about?"

Dean shook his head. "Not a clue but I guess we'll find out." Dean pulled away from the curb and then let his right hand drift to land on Sam's thigh, squeezing it gently.

Sam smiled softly as he relaxed back into the seat, laying his hand on top of Dean's.

~DW/SW~

John stood from the living room couch when he heard the sound of crunching gravel, signaling Sam and Dean's arrival. Walking to the front door, he opened it and stepped out onto the porch to wait for his two sons and their own children. "Hey boys," John called from the top of the steps.

"Dad," Dean greeted as he climbed out of the car and then walked around to open up the rear driver side door. Leaning in, he unbuckled Abby's car seat and picked her up, settling the little girl against his shoulder. "Let's go see what your grandpa wants," Dean muttered softly to his daughter as he began to climb the small set of stairs. He figured he'd come back for the diaper bag after they'd gotten the babies taken care of and settled.

"Hey Jim," Dean smiled when he saw that Sam was sitting next to the Pastor with Nick lying on a blanket at his feet. Bummer was sniffing the edges of the blanket curiously as Nick laid on his back, playing with one of the plush toys he'd received. _No biting 'kay Fido? _Dean thought. He gave the dog a careful once-over though he knew that the Golden Retriever was extremely kid-friendly.

"Hey Dean, thanks for coming over." Jim smiled back as he stood and walked to the older brother.

"Ah, you mind holding her for a moment... I left their diaper bag in the car." He asked as he passed his daughter over.

Jim smirked at Dean, shaking his head a little as he gently bounced the little girl in his arms. Both Nick and Abby were starting to recognize familiar faces and their own names and Jim got a total kick out of interacting with them. "Hi Abby, how are you doing today sweetheart?" He smiled when the little girl smiled back at him and raised one of her little hands out towards his face.

Sam and Dean shared an affectionate smile at the playful interaction between Jim and Abby. Looking down at his son, Sam watched as Nick raised his own arms up causing Sam to lean down and pick the little boy up. Also grabbing the small stuffed animal, he sat Nick on his lap and began to play with him.

"Be right back," Dean announced before he headed back outside to the car, returning a moment later with the diaper bag. "So, what did you want to talk to us about?" He asked, taking a seat beside Sam on the couch. John and Jim were sitting across from them in separate wing-back chairs.

"Well, Jim and I had an idea and Bobby suggested that we run it by you two first," John started to explain.

Both Dean and Sam sat up a little straighter. "What is it?" Sam asked.

"We were wondering how the two of you would feel about possibly baptizing Nick and Abby?" John continued, biting his lip as he wondered what his son's reactions would be.

Both Sam and Dean turned to look at each other, their eyes wide with surprise and a slightly 'what do we do' expression on their faces. "Ah... a baptism?" Sam asked after a couple of minutes had passed.

Both John and Jim nodded, trying to be hopeful.

"I hunh... um, wow," Sam was completely shocked by the offer. It made sense coming from Jim, the guy was a man of Religion after all but their dad... he couldn't remember the last time the man had set foot in a church when it wasn't for the simple act of gathering information on a case. He appreciated the gesture, he did. A smile crossed Sam's face as he thought about all of the important moments and milestones that were still ahead of them. Bending his head down slightly, he kissed the top of Nick's head causing the little boy to turn towards him. Glancing to the side, Sam also realized that he had to take into consideration how Dean would feel. He knew his brother was incredibly skeptical about the whole religion and God thing.

"You boys don't have to decide right this minute but well, we just wanted to toss that out there." Jim offered when he saw how Dean and Sam had reacted. He was hoping that they would say yes but he didn't want to pressure them either. If they declined, he'd respect that... it was their choice after all.

"Right, yeah... thanks for the offer, that's really nice of you." Sam replied, wanting to let them know that even though they weren't saying yes right that moment, the gesture still hadn't gone by unnoticed.

Looking at the clock, John stood and clapped his hands together causing his grandchildren to both turn towards him. "Well, I'll see you boys later..." He walked over to where his sons were and knelt down to give each grandchild a hug. "Be good for your daddies." He told them, nodding at Jim before he gathered up his jacket and car keys and then walking out the door. _It was worth a shot_ he told himself.

~DW/SW~

Later that night, Dean and Sam were standing in their room getting ready for bed. "A baptism, really?" Dean asked shaking his head as he stripped out of his long-sleeve shirt.

"I think it's nice," Sam argued dumping his dirty clothes into the laundry basket by the door. Leaning down, he picked his daughter up and walked to the bed with her.

"Maybe if there was such a thing as God," Dean grumbled as he headed out of their room and into the bathroom across the hall.

Sam sighed, rolling his eyes a bit before he turned his attention to Abby. "Papa's grumpy tonight," He told her watching as Dean walked back into the room a moment later. "Why is it such a bad thing Dean?"

"Because Sam, you really want to start lying to our kids when they're this young," Dean asked, standing at the end of their bed.

Sam laughed a bit when he heard his brother's response. "Getting them baptized isn't lying to them."

"It is if there isn't actually anybody to look out for them." Dean argued. "I mean, come on Sam, it's stupid."

Sam shook his head at Dean again, becoming less amused and more frustrated. "It's not stupid Dean, lots of parents baptize their kids and consider it to be a special event. And who isn't to say that nobody's up there? What, you don't think that maybe... that maybe Mom's out there?" Sam asked, a smile working its way onto his face when Abby laid down on his chest. He loved feeling her little puffs of breath against his skin.

Dean bit the inside of his cheek as he turned away from Sam. "I don't know..." Dean drifted off. He hoped that his mom was up there somewhere, looking down on him and Sam and that she was happy with them but at the same time, if she was up there protecting them then why the hell hadn't there been someone protecting her? "Why is it so important to you?" Dean asked moving to lie back on the bed, reaching a hand out towards Abby. "You ready for bed yet baby girl?" He asked her. Nick had fallen asleep about twenty minutes ago and Dean was hoping that Abby wasn't far behind.

After casting Abby a loving glance, noticing that she was slowly becoming mellower, Sam shrugged. "I'd like them to have some sense of religion as they get older ya know?" He knew very well that his brother might fight him on that.

Dean huffed in response. "Why the hell on Earth would you want that?" Dean questioned, just like Sam had expected him to.

"Because it means something to me." Sam sighed. "I mean, we see so much evil in our lives that believing that there is something, someone good out there helps make me feel like maybe we aren't so alone." Sam wasn't totally sure that Dean would understand what he was trying to say but he hoped that it would help explain at least a little bit of why he was a bit religious. "Will you at least think about it, please?" Sam asked as he climbed from the bed and walked over to the door with Abby in his arms.

"Can I say goodnight to her?" Dean asked, not answering Sam's question.

"Yeah, of course," Sam smirked, walking back to the bed and handing Abby over to her papa.

~DW/SW~

"I'll make you a compromise," Dean said the next morning as he and Sam sat at the kitchen table, eating breakfast. He had spent a good portion of the night thinking about the offer that their dad and Jim had made to them and why he should maybe say yes, especially when it was obviously something that Sam wanted. Dean hadn't changed his mind about there being higher powers but he had thought that maybe if his mom had believed that there was, then maybe there might be.

"Oh yeah?" Sam asked, smirking as he looked up from his bowl of cereal.

"Yeah, if it's really that important to you then... then I'll say yes but only on one condition." He paused watching as the surprise appeared on Sam's face.

"What's the condition?" Sam questioned, wondering what kind of crazy deal his brother wanted to make.

"That once they get old enough we let them decide if they want to go to church and do all of that crap and if they don't then that's that." Dean stated, crossing his arms over his chest as he wondered if Sam would agree to it.

"Fair enough," Sam nodded after a moment. Standing from his seat, he crossed the couple of steps to where Dean was and sat down in his lap. "Thank you, really." He smiled, kissing Dean gently.

Biting his lip and bringing his arms up to wrap around Sam's waist, Dean nodded. "Just remember our deal."

"I will." Sam promised, climbing off of Dean a moment later to grab the phone and call Jim.

* * *

Hey! So, how was that? I hope you liked the chapter and how Sam and Dean are learning to come to compromises when it comes to their children and the way they are raised. My goal is to try and update 'Family Matters' after I get back on Thursday and then we'll move onto the next chapter of this story. Thanks again and continue to enjoy your Holidays! Give me a Christmas present by reviewing... please? Lol, thanks! :)


	47. Chapter 47

Hey guys! Sorry for the delay in updating, I was out of town a bit more than I had anticipated. But I gotta say, it was worth it... I know we've all heard how nice of guys Jared and Jensen are but I couldn't believe how sweet they were! And Gen too! It made me fall even more in love with the show :D And if you haven't been to a convention but get the chance, I highly suggest you take it (I didn't think I'd ever get to go but oh my goodness, I am so glad I did!) Not trying to brag here, by the way... I just thought that it was really cool that our actors are genuinely nice people.

I hope everyone's had a good start to the New Year! I hope everyone likes this chapter and I will try to get the next one up soon, it's going to be one of the last ones for this story but I'm still planning on doing the sequel though I do have a question. Supernatural is the first show that I've ever written fanfic for and I was wondering (God forbid! And knock on wood) that when the show ends, do people stop writing stories and reading them? Because I'm not totally sure how this whole thing works and I was hoping that someone could fill me in, I'm a little confused. I mean, I don't want to stop writing but if people aren't going to read after the show ends (which hopefully won't be for another season or two!) then I probably would stop.

Anyways, thanks for reading and I would love to hear back from everyone who wishes to drop me a little note. I'll try to update ASAP. :)

* * *

Dean pulled the Impala into a parking space near the front of the car detailing shop and killed the engine. "You wanna wait here or...?" He asked, turning to look at Sam.

"We'll wait here." Sam decided, figuring that it would probably be easier if he and the munchkins waited in the car while Dean got things settled. He loved them but his two little monsters sure were good at making things be a bit more complicated.

"Alright," Dean smiled as he pulled his wallet out of his pocket to double check that he had the gift certificate that Sam had bought him for his birthday. He hadn't used it yet as he hadn't really had much time off in the past couple of months. Plus, he and Sam had to go out and buy christening outfits for the twins so they had figured that today might be a good day to get both errands done. "Be back in a sec." He leaned over to give Sam a quick kiss and then exited the car.

~DW/SW~

Sam opened the front passenger side door when he saw Dean emerge from the shop with one of the employees about fifteen minutes later. _Trust me, he knows _Sam smirked when he heard the guy comment on what a beauty the car was. Walking around to the trunk, he paused and called out for his brother. "Hey, keys?" He asked, reaching his hand out to catch them when Dean pulled them out of his pocket and tossed them to him. "Thanks," Sam muttered in response, unlocking the trunk and pulling the stroller out, beginning to unfold it.

A few moments later, Dean appeared beside Sam with Nick held in his arms. The little boy smiled and reached his arms out towards Sam, causing both Sam and Dean to grin. Sam took his little son from Dean and buckled him into the stroller before doing the same with Abby. After they had grabbed the diaper bag and hung it on the back of the stroller, Dean gave the car one last check to make sure they hadn't left anything of the twins' things behind. "Take good care of her," Dean instructed making Sam roll his eyes as his brother finally handed the employee the keys to the Impala.

"I will." The guy promised, the edges of his mouth curling up into a smile.

"Come on, let's go." Sam said, nudging Dean a little and the small family made their way down the sidewalk.

~DW/SW~

It had been a pretty decent walk from the car shop to the mall that housed the small Christian store where Jim had promised that they would be able to find some baptism clothes for Nick and Abby. Neither one of the boys had minded the walk since it was a nice day out and apparently, the twins were okay with it too as both of them laid happily awake in their double-stroller. "It should be right up here," Sam muttered as Dean carefully maneuvered the stroller through the somewhat packed arena, trying to not run over anybody's toes.

"Hopefully," He muttered under his breath. He hated places like this, the crowds and the nosy salespeople who were trying to shove things on him that he didn't want. Dean was usually a people person but there was just something about malls that irked him. And besides, having Nick and Abby in tow sort of set him on edge as he didn't trust anyone as far as his family went.

Sam shot Dean a look when he heard his brother mutter under his breath. He knew that despite their agreement, Dean was still quite iffy about the whole baptism thing and he understood it, he did and he was thankful that Dean was allowing him to go through with this. "We could get some food first if you wanted?" Sam suggested, wanting to make this outing fun for Dean too. _He's getting the Impala detailed, he's fine_ Sam silently told himself.

"Nah, it's okay. I'm not that hungry but thanks." Dean smiled softly, trying to be a good sport about all of this. "What did Jim say this place was called?"

"Ah, I think he said it was 'The Little Shepard'?" Sam recalled after a moment with a note of hesitation in his voice as he wasn't completely positive that he had the name right.

Nodding, Dean continued to push the stroller further into the sea of people. He and Sam walked side by side in comfortable silence until they rounded a corner, Sam smiling when he saw the sign 'The Little Shepard' straight ahead. In the window of the shop, he could see stands that showed off small white dresses and little tuxedos, telling him that they had indeed found what they were looking for.

"Can we please not get anything too frilly?" Dean pleaded as the small group entered the store.

Sam nodded even as he looked at Abby lying in the stroller. She was wearing one of the dresses that either Dean or her granddad had bought for her before her birth. He wasn't sure who had bought what and really, it didn't matter. They all meant the same sentiment to him, they all meant that the rest of his family had been planning ahead for their impending arrival and were excited for it. The dress itself was pink with a brown flower embroidered on the side and the bodysuit of it was white with polka-dots. "Let's see what they have before we start making demands, hunh?" Sam teased with a playful smile on his face.

"Fine," Dean nodded back, looking up as the store clerk greeted them.

"Hi," The young woman greeted the pair, her eyes lingering on Dean. She was tall and skinny with blonde hair and big blue eyes. "Welcome to 'The Little Shepard', can I help you find anything?" She asked in a friendly and helpful tone of voice.

Sam didn't know why but he felt a spark of jealousy start to grow when he saw her eyes land on Dean. He knew that the store clerk was exactly Dean's type... or had at least been Dean's type before the two of them had gotten together.

"Yeah, we're looking for baptism clothing for our son and daughter," Dean offered, making Sam internally smirk as Dean made it clear that he and Sam were together. "A good friend of ours said that this would be the best place to go."

Sam and Dean watched as the woman paused for a moment, obviously surprised by the news that the two of them were together.

_See, he's taken_ Sam thought, surprised with just how strong his jealousy was.

"When's the big day?" She asked, recovering from her initial shock.

"Saturday," Sam replied with a nod, a proud smile on his face despite the salesclerk's original reaction. He was proud of what he and Dean had together and for once in his life, he was really looking forward to the future. _Just don't grow up too fast on me please?_ He silently asked his children. Sam had been told by multiple people how kids grew like weeds, especially when they were little, but he was just hoping to be able to enjoy the two of them for as long as possible. Reaching into the stroller to adjust the blanket so that it wasn't covering so much of Nick's face, Sam smiled, glad that for the moment at least they were still his babies.

"Well then, let's see if we can find what you're looking for. I'm Debbie, by the way." She hesitantly reached out a hand to introduce herself. She seemed less interested in helping them out now that she knew that Dean was off-limits.

"Sam," Sam said, shaking her hand. "And Dean."

Dean nodded, giving her one of his classic smiles.

_You're not special sweetheart, he does that to every girl_ Sam silently told her as she perked up just the slightest bit.

Sam and Dean followed her over to the far wall where all of the baptism items were displayed. There were clothes along with keepsake items like memory books, prayer books, stuffed animals, jewelry, and little statues and figurines. "Oh, that's pretty. What do you think?" Sam asked as he pointed to one of the dresses. It was white, just like all of the other clothes on display but it had puffed sleeves and ribbon streamers that went down the middle of the dress. The skirt of it had little rosettes sewn onto it and a sheer covering that went over the silk skirt.

Dean paused as he worked out what to say. "Ah... um, maybe a little simpler?" He asked as he reached into the stroller to pick Abby up. Holding her with one arm wrapped around her stomach and so that her back was to his chest, Dean gently used his other hand to brush back her brown hair. "What do you think, sweetheart? You don't want that one, do you?" He asked her, laughing when she turned her head in his direction, an almost curious look on her face.

Debbie smiled at the little girl. "She's gorgeous, how old is she?" She asked.

Dean smiled proudly. "Thanks, almost six months." He answered just as Nick let out a small sound.

"Oh, we haven't forgotten about you big guy, don't worry." Sam quietly hushed his son as he picked him up and placed the baby against his shoulder.

"Wow, you two have your hands full, don't you?" She commented as the group paused from their search.

Both Dean and Sam nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's for sure." At almost six months old, Nick and Abby were continuing to grow more each and every day. At their last doctor's appointment, Nick had tipped the scales at almost fifteen pounds. And not one to be upstaged by her big brother, Abby had grown another several inches indicating that she just might be getting her height from her daddy.

A moment later, Abby's little face scrunched up into a frown and she began to cry. "Hey, what's the matter hon?" Dean asked. He turned her around so that her head was now resting on his shoulder. Dean gently rubbed his daughter's back as she continued to cry. Suddenly, Dean quirked an eyebrow at his daughter. "Come on now, princess that's not very lady like?" He complained and a moment later, Sam's eyes widened.

"Ah..." He drifted off, not wanting to be rude in front of the saleswoman but it was more than obvious that Abby desperately needed a diaper change.

"Yeah, I know. Want me to take him too or...?" He asked as he placed Abby back in the stroller and then began to reach out for Nick.

Sam shook his head. "No, I think he's okay. Go get her changed, we'll wait here."

"Alright, see you in a few." He smiled softly before he headed out of the store, in search of the nearest mens room.

~DW/SW~

Sam was continuing to look through the little baptism dresses that the store carried while holding Nick on his hip as they waited for Dean to get back with Abby. Keeping his brother's request in mind, Sam skipped over some of the fancier ones in the hopes that they would able to find one that was pretty but not too covered in frills.

"Not that it's any of my business but well, you look like you're my brother's age," Debbie noted, drawing a surprised Sam out of his search. He wasn't sure where the saleswoman was going with this. "And you said that this little man and his sister are your son and daughter?"

Swallowing thickly and wishing that Dean would hurry up and get back since his brother was the one who was better at fibbing these kinds of things. "Yup, they're ours," He nodded, clutching Nick just a little bit closer to him. For reasons he couldn't explain, his protective instincts were rearing up quite a bit since they'd entered the store. "Thanks, I think... but I'm older than you would think."

"I bet it drives you crazy, he hates it." Debbie commented making Sam relax a little.

_See, no reason to freak out_ he told himself. "Oh, wow, what about this one?" He asked turning the conversation back away from himself and onto what he and Dean had originally come there for.

"Do you think your...?" The woman drifted off, unsure of what to call Dean.

"Would Dean like it?" Sam asked causing the woman to nod.

"I think so," Sam nodded back as he gently fingered the white cotton christening dress. Both Sam and Debbie turned when they heard Dean re-enter the shop. Sam let out a small, unnoticeable breath of relief when Dean walked to stand next to him. He couldn't explain it but since the woman had started asking questions, he couldn't wait to get out of the store.

"Found anything?" Dean asked, unaware of Sam's uneasiness.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I think so." He asked as he gently shifted Nick a bit higher up on his hip. "What do you think?" Sam bit his lip, hoping that Dean would agree to this one.

"It's better than the last one," Dean replied, glad to see that this dress was a little less extravagant than the first one that Sam had picked out.

"So yes, no... keep looking, what?" Sam asked, wanting a more definitive answer than what Dean had given him.

"I like it, I say we get it." Dean smirked slightly at the irritation in his brother's voice. If he hadn't been wanting to end the shopping trip so badly, he would have said that he didn't like it just for the sake of making his brother look some more.

"We'll take it," Sam decided, watching as the woman pulled the dress down from display along with the little bonnet that it came with. The dress was cotton and was a lot simpler with just two small bows at the waist of it and along the bottom, it had a nice trim which the saleswoman had told him was venise, whatever the hell that was. Either way, Sam thought that it was pretty and had figured that it would please Dean's tastes too. He was glad he was right. "Now, we just need his and then I think we're all set."

Dean nodded, hoping that picking out Nick's suit wouldn't take quite as long.

~DW/SW~

After picking out Nick's outfit for the occasion, Sam and Dean had decided to get lunch at one of the places nearby before heading back to the detailing shop to pick up the Impala. Dean had thought that the body shop had done an unbelievable job on the Impala and he had promised them that he would most certainly be back. Suffice to say, it had been an overall good day... despite the salesclerk.

~DW/SW~

Later that evening, Sam and Dean were relaxing on the couch together as they had the house to themselves and they were both home at the same time to actually enjoy it. They had given Abby and Nick their nightly baths and put them to bed about forty-five minutes ago. "Hmm, that tickles." He murmured softly as Dean continued to gently trail his fingers down Sam's side.

"Really?" Dean asked with a mischievous smile on his face.

Sam nodded, starting to laugh a little. "Yes it does." He growled, moving his hand to grab Dean's wrist. "Uncle, uncle." He choked out through his laughs as Dean used his other hand to join in on the attack.

Leaning over slightly, Dean pressed a gentle kiss to Sam's mouth. "Okay, I'll go easy on you." He teased.

"Hmm, that's good to know." Sam responded in a playful tone of voice.

"Hmm hm," Dean nodded in agreement as he tightened his hold on Sam and dropped back down into the couch cushions. The two of them were quiet for a few minutes before Sam spoke in a soft tone of voice.

"You think Caleb and Laura will like it?" He asked, sounding a tad bit nervous.

Dean nodded after a moment had passed. "Yeah, I think so. I mean, come on, they totally love Nick and Abby. I doubt they'd say no to this." He reassured.

Sam nodded though he remained quiet.

"Why, are you having doubts?" Dean asked curiously. Their majority of their friends were scheduled to arrive in town the following afternoon and Sam and Dean had a special request for two of them. And with the baptism the day after, Dean hoped that Sam wasn't changing his mind about anything. Abby and Nick's outfits had cost them quite the pretty penny at sixty bucks each. That was the price of one grocery bill.

Sam shook his head no. "I want them to have role models like that... especially Abby. I mean, she's going to be growing up in a house full of males, she's gotta have someone womanly that she can turn to." Sam explained since he knew that there would come a day when she would have questions that he didn't have answers to. "And I don't know, I just think that both of them would set a good example for our two." Granted, Sam did not want Caleb teaching Nick or Abby how to shoot a gun at too young of an age but Sam figured that Dean would actually be the bigger troublemaker in that arena. In fact, if Sam had it his way then his kids would be raised without ever having seen a gun but he knew that with their lifestyle, that wasn't safe so he at least wanted to wait until they were old enough to be trusted.

Dean nodded understandingly. "I think they've already got a pretty damn good role model." He said, his gaze fixing on Sam. Sam was smart, funny, courageous, and one of the strongest people Dean knew. He couldn't wait to see what kinds of lessons his brother was going to teach their children.

Sam blushed and ducked his head.

Placing his fingers underneath Sam's chin, Dean raised his brother's head to be able to look him in the eye. "Hey, I'm telling you the truth here." He smiled softly as he gently caressed Sam's cheek with his thumb.

Sam nodded, feeling tears prick his eyes as he tried to give Dean a reassuring smile. He could remember back when he had thought that leaving would be the best option for both him and the babies that he had been carrying at the time. He had thought that if he had stuck around then his unborn children would be in danger since he obviously hadn't been able to protect himself. Sam knew that if he left now, it would surely kill him to be that far away from his babies and it was obvious that he'd made the right choice in staying but still, it made him doubt himself as a parent sometimes. As for being a good role model, Sam wasn't sure that he was role model material. After all, he was a high school dropout and that was definitely not something that he wanted for his kids.

"What is it?" Dean asked as he could plainly see the glassy shine to his brother's eyes.

Sam shrugged as he bit his lip. "Just not sure how good of a role model I am..." He answered quietly.

"Why the hell would you think that?" Dean asked before he sighed. "Come here babe." He motioned for Sam to crawl closer to him and once Sam was practically sitting on top of him, Dean wrapped his arms securely around his brother's waist. "I'm damn glad that they have someone like you to look up to, hunh Sammy?"

Sam swallowed thickly as more tears gathered in his eyes.

"Shh," Dean whispered, gently moving to wipe away the few tears that were leaking down Sam's cheeks.

"Did you know that I thought about leaving? That I wanted to leave?" Sam asked, tears clogging his voice as he kept his head pillowed against Dean's neck.

"When?" Dean asked, now ignoring the movie that he and Sam had been watching in favor of having what sounded like a much needed conversation with his brother.

"Before they were born." Sam answered. "I mean, what kind of parent does that? What kind of parent wants to leave their kids before they're even born?" Sam asked as he shook his head. "I hated them Dean... I... I wanted them to die." He didn't think he'd ever forgive himself for wishing every night that he'd wake up and the _evil things_ inside him would be gone.

Dean swallowed as he carefully chose what he wanted to say. "You were scared Sammy, that's all it was. And I don't blame you. I mean, I wasn't the one who was knocked up and I was pretty freaked out myself." He admitted.

Sam closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Still Dean, how can I want them to look up to me when I know that I used to hate them, that I used to wish that they'd just die?"

"Sammy, I want our kids to look up to you because of the same reasons that I do." Dean responded. "I want them to have someone in their life who is as strong and smart and kind and... and freakin' amazing as you."

Sam listened to Dean, trying to soak in the words that his partner and brother was telling him.

"I know that this past year's probably been the worst year of your life and yeah, we had some things happen that weren't too pleasant but you know what Sam, you still got up every single fucking day and that's what's so amazing. That's what I want Abby and Nick to learn, is that even though things might get shitty... you just gotta keep pushing through and you Sam, you're the perfect example of that." Smiling lovingly, Dean tilted his brother's chin up once more, slanting his mouth over Sam's and drawing out a moan from him. Dean knew that what he'd just said had probably been some of the cheesiest stuff he'd ever spouted but he knew that things had changed, that he had changed. Even though his family had always been his number one priority, there was a different sense of responsibility now. Before, he had just been a big brother watching out for his little brother and though that was still there, he was also now a dad and a partner and that made him try harder than he ever had before.

~DW/SW~

In the wee hours of the morning, tired and glad to finally be home from work, John unlocked the front door and made his way inside. Figuring that he might as well make good on the fact that the house was quiet and his boys were asleep, he headed into the nursery. Stopping by the door and just looking at the room before him, his gaze drifted up to the ceiling as a certain fear began to fill him. He still didn't know what sort of creature had been the one to take his Mary away and with the twins quickly approaching six months... he was nervous. John had his theories about what it might have been but he still didn't have anything solid and without knowing what it was, he was clueless as to how to kill it. _I'm not letting you take them_ John silently told whatever demon, spirit, or creature it was that had been responsible for Mary's death.

_You're not even sure that it will show up again_ he added a moment later, trying to calm himself down. John didn't know why his family had been targeted back when Sam was a baby but he hoped that his boys and their children were safe. _Guess I'd better get to sleep since the gang's coming into town later_ he thought to himself, figuring that he would at least have Bobby to run it by soon.

~DW/SW~

"Hey, do you guys wanna see Nick's new trick?" Sam asked excitedly as he sat on the couch with Nick on his lap. Since the baptism was the next day, Caleb and Bobby had arrived around noon and were currently staying at Jim's place. John was outside busy barbequing some ribs for dinner while everyone else sat in the living room, talking and catching up.

Caleb grinned and sat forward, reaching out to gently tickle Nick under the chin. He laughed when Nick smiled and squirmed away, letting out his own small giggle. "Sure, show me what this big guy can do."

Sam nodded, giving Nick a kiss on his temple. "You ready buddy to show your aunt and uncles just how strong you are?" Smiling, Sam gently placed Nick down on the carpet on his back. "Come on Nick, you can do it buddy." Biting his lip in anticipation, Sam sat and waited.

Dean sat across from Sam with Abby on his lap, gently bouncing her on his knees as she watched everyone else. "That's my boy!" Dean cheered as they watched Nick manage to roll himself onto his stomach. The little boy had his arms stretched out in front of him and his head lifted, looking around at everyone curiously.

"That was too freakin' cute!" Laura squealed. "How long has he been doing that?" She asked since this was the first time she'd seen either one of them hit that milestone.

Sam looked up to share a sweet smile with his brother. "He actually did it for the first time yesterday morning." Sam explained as he reached to pick Nick back up. Sam placed him so that Nick was standing up on his lap, facing his daddy. "You're daddy's little muscle man, aren't ya buddy?"

Nick squealed and reached out to grab Sam's cheek.

"That's really awesome Sam, I'm glad he's doing well." Bobby congratulated as he stood, clapping the young teen on the shoulder.

Smiling, Sam nodded in agreement knowing that Bobby was talking about the period of time when they'd all thought that there might be something wrong with the little boy due to his seizure. Thankfully, Nick hadn't had another one since and though Sam was always on the lookout for them, he hoped that it meant that his little boy would be a-okay.

~DW/SW~

"Hey, the ribs almost done?" Bobby asked as he stepped out into the backyard and over to where John was.

"Yup, should be ready in about ten minutes." John replied as he closed the lid on the barbeque and folded his arms across his chest. The two friends stood in silence before Bobby spoke up again.

"Sam just showed us Nick's newest move." The old hunter grinned.

John nodded. "Yeah, that's ah... that's... I can't believe they're that big already." He agreed. "Are the boys inside?"

Bobby nodded. "Yeah. John, what's up?" Bobby could tell that his friend was worried and he wanted to know why. No one had mentioned anything today that had seemed like something to fret over and it was making him wonder what was on his friend's mind.

John clenched his jaw shut in anger and worry. "A week from tomorrow, Nick and Abby'll be six months old." He explained, the look on his face one of pure fear.

It took Bobby a moment to realize what John was saying but when he did, he removed his ball cap, swearing under his breath. "Nothing's gonna happen." He promised.

John nodded though he didn't completely believe his friend. He didn't know what to expect and it went without saying that the night his grandkids turned six months, he wasn't going to be at work. And if that _thing_ thought that John was just going to let it take anyone else away from him... well then, it was sorely mistaken.

~DW/SW~

Later that night, Sam and Dean had just put their two troublemakers down for bed and now they had something important to ask two of their friends. Walking out into the living room to where all of their friends had gathered after dinner, Sam and Dean shared a smile. "Hey ah, Caleb, Laura, can we talk to you two for a sec?" Dean asked.

"Yeah sure man, what's up?" Caleb asked as he grabbed his beer and both he and Laura walked over to where Sam and Dean were standing.

"Let's go outside." Dean instructed.

"Damn, I gotta tell you dude, I feel bad for Nick and Abby when they get older." Caleb smirked, teasing Dean about his dad-authoritarian voice.

Laura laughed. "I don't know, I don't think he'll be able to use it on them." She teased too, as they all knew just how over the moon Dean was about his two kids.

"They've got you there." Sam agreed.

"Relax, it's a good thing." Dean promised, shaking his head a little. He took a seat on the porch swing with Sam sitting next to him. Laura took a seat opposite them and Caleb stood, leaning against the railing, his beer in hand.

"So, what do you wanna know?" Caleb asked before lifting his beer to his lips and taking a swig.

"Well ah, as you both know the munchkins are getting baptized tomorrow and we were wondering if you two would like to be their Godparents?" Dean asked, glancing over at Sam when his brother reached a hand out for him. Sam and Dean watched as looks of surprise came over both Laura and Caleb's faces.

Laura was the first to break out of her shock and she stood to give both Sam and Dean hugs. "I would love to, thank you!" She replied, obviously happy.

"Yeah, ah same goes for me." Caleb's voice still had a bit of shock to it and it made Dean laugh.

"This don't mean that you gotta take 'em to church constantly or anything." He interjected as he give Caleb a hug.

"Hey, whatever you say man." Caleb grinned back. When he'd chosen his life as a hunter, he had pretty much thought that choice right there had ended his life with normal civilization but it seemed like Abby and Nick were giving all of them, not just Sam, Dean, and John, a second chance.

Sam stood and gave their friend a hug as well. He and Dean had chosen Laura to be Abby and Nick's Godmother because she lived close by and was an important part of their childrens lives already. Even though they had lost contact with her for a few months, she had taken everything in stride and Sam wanted Abby to have someone like her to look up to. They had chosen Caleb for similar reasons and Sam was glad that Nick and Abby had people like that in their lives.

~DW/SW~

The following morning, Sam and Dean arrived at the church with their dad and the two little guests of honor about ten minutes before the baptism was scheduled to start. They stood outside, waiting for Caleb, Bobby, Steven, and Laura to arrive before the whole grouped headed inside the church.

The ceremony itself took a little under half an hour and Sam had beamed the entire time with Dean standing beside him, his own amused smile on his face. Caleb had held Abby and Laura had held Nick as they promised to help guide and look after the two twins. Putting the finishing touch on the ceremony, Jim had gently anointed both Abby and Nick's foreheads with the holy water, saying a short prayer over them. After it was over, both John and Bobby had insisted that they needed pictures so the small group had posed for pictures for a few minutes before they all headed off to the restaurant where Jim and John had made special reservations. Walking to the car, hand in hand with Dean, Sam thought that it was a bit funny and ironic that the twins had just had their baptism since they had all thought at the beginning that the children were evil and cause for an exorcism of sorts. _But boy, I'm glad we were wrong_ Sam thought to himself, leaning up slightly to give Dean a quick peck on the cheek.

* * *

Hey! So, how was the chapter? I hope all of you enjoyed it :) I'll try to get another one posted as soon as I can. Thanks again for reading and I really would appreciate any feedback. :)


	48. Chapter 48

Gah! Hey guys... here's the next chapter! I am so sorry about the lateness, really! My only excuse is that I started to write a new story and got distracted... whoops! It's on livejournal and it's called 'Rough Landings' if any of you want to read it. So, there is only 1 more chapter left in this story! Can you believe it? I can't, wow... easily the longest story I have ever written! And I really do want to thank all of you for reading, reviewing, and just being awesome! You guys rock 3

As for when the last chapter will be added and when I'll update 'Family Matters'... I'm not totally sure but I think it'll be up in the next 2 weeks or so. I was going to try and get it done this past week since I was on spring break but well, this spring break has sucked and I've been busier than I anticipated. Anyways, that's enough of me so I hope all of you enjoy the chapter and hopefully the wait for the next one won't be so long. Thanks again!

* * *

Dean was grinning as he walked up the front steps of their house. He'd had an unbelievably awesome day at work and he couldn't wait to share the good news with Sam. _What do you know, things are actually looking up for the Winchesters _Dean thought to himself, smirking softly. Sam was almost done with the GED program and at the end of the month he would be receiving his high school diploma. Dean felt damn proud of how hard Sam had worked since he'd gone back to school after having the twins. He also hoped that his little announcement would help relax Sam a bit since he was currently stressing out beyond belief, trying to make sure that everything was in order for the end of the school year. Hell, last week Sam had stated that he wanted to wait to celebrate his birthday because according to him, he just had too much work to do at the moment. _Well, we'll make sure we do it right_ Dean promised as he unlocked the front door and stepped inside.

He smiled at the scene that greeted him home. Sam was sitting on the couch with all of his books spread out in front of him on the coffee table while Nick and Abby played with their toys at his feet. "Hey," Dean said as he shrugged out of his jacket and hung it up. Walking into the living room, he took a seat on the floor beside his two munchkins. Nick was sitting up, mouthing at the ear of his little stuffed dog while Abby was lying on her stomach, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Hey," Sam smiled back as he looked up from his book. "How was work?" He asked.

"Awesome," Dean grinned but didn't elaborate.

"Really, you wanna share why?" Sam asked curiously, amused by the smug look on Dean's face.

"Cause of this," Dean reached into his back pocket and pulled out the envelope his boss had handed him before he'd left for the day. Handing it over to Sam, Dean could barely contain his excitement. "Open it."

Sam took the large, white envelope and his eyes widened when he saw that it was a raise for Dean. Dean's pay had been raised from sixteen dollars an hour to twenty-three dollars and thirty cents. "Wow, that's awesome." Sam congratulated. He knew how hard his brother had been working. Dean was more than deserving of it.

Dean nodded proudly. "Yeah, ah Tom said that if I keep it up, he might make me assistant manager." He explained further, smiling a bit more. Over the past year that he'd been working at the hardware store, Dean had come to appreciate what it felt like to hold down a normal job that actually came with a paycheck. At first, he had been surprised to realize that he didn't really miss hunting all that much since that was what his life had become ever since he was four years old but looking at the three people seated in the room with him, he knew exactly why he didn't miss it.

Sam shook his head in amazement at his brother's accomplishment. _Assistant manager..._ that would be huge for them and who knows, maybe by then he'd have a job of his own. Closing the textbook that was on his lap, Sam placed it on the coffee table and then moved to sit beside Dean, leaning into his side. "That's really awesome Dean, I'm proud of you." He smiled sincerely and gave Dean a quick kiss on the cheek.

Dean nodded, gently placing his hand on Sam's knee and squeezing it. Sam was the whole reason he'd taken the job in the first place and he was grateful to his brother for giving him that chance. Being a hunter was rewarding in its own right and the feeling that you got when you knew you had saved someone... it was pretty remarkable but so was making sure that his partner and kids had a roof over their heads and food in their bellies.

"Dean, look." Sam whispered suddenly, drawing Dean from his thoughts.

"What?" Dean asked before he looked at where Sam was pointing. Both he and Sam became frozen to the spot as they watched Abby push herself up on her hands and knees. She was kind of rocking back and forth in place as she looked at her parents.

"Come here sweetheart, come to daddy." Sam called as he moved away from Dean and sat up more, his arms stretched out towards his daughter.

Abby looked at Sam, a small smile on her chubby little face before she plopped back down on her butt causing Dean to laugh as Sam pouted.

"You're getting us all excited over nothing," He shook his head, moving to pull Abby onto his lap. "Oh well, maybe you'll do it next time hunh Abs?" Dean leaned forward to kiss her nose, feeling more content in his life than he ever had since he was four years old.

~DW/SW~

Later that night, Dean rolled over and woke, pausing unsure of what had woken him. Turning his head to the side, he saw that Sam was sleeping soundly beside him and there weren't any cries coming from the nursery leaving Dean feeling slightly concerned. His head snapped towards the closed bedroom door when he heard the floorboards creak. He knew that it very well could just be their dad coming in from work but he had a weird feeling in his gut. Grabbing the gun that he kept beneath the bed, Dean very carefully climbed out of bed to go investigate. He may not be a hunter anymore but he still trusted those instincts as he headed down the hall. Sneaking into the kitchen, Dean let out a relieved sigh when he saw that it was only his dad but what he didn't understand was why their dad was standing at the kitchen table with a full arsenal spread out in front of him. "What's all this for?" Dean asked, making his dad jump a little.

"Jesus Dean!" John cursed as he looked behind him and saw his oldest son standing by the counter with his gun in his hand. "It's... it's for a hunt." He relented after a few minutes of hesitation.

Dean slowly nodded. "And you didn't care to mention this when Sam and I were awake?" He asked, feeling skeptical of the way his dad was behaving for some reason.

"I didn't want you two to worry." John replied, swiping a hand over his scratchy beard as he looked down the hall.

Dean scoffed. _But of course, not seeing you for a few days and having no explanation wouldn't make us worry_ Dean thought to himself. "What's the hunt?" He asked as he put the safety back on his gun and then placed it on the table now that he knew there wasn't any reason to have it out.

"Not completely sure... possible demon," John answered, continuing to pack his bag. He had been hoping that he would be able to get all of this together without alerting his boys but that obviously, wasn't going to happen.

"Where is it?" Dean asked as he began to help his dad pack the weapons. "Dad?" He asked again when John hadn't said anything.

Taking a seat at the table, John hung his head. "I think... I think it might be here." He answered, pointedly not looking at his son.

Growing more worried with his dad's cryptic answers, Dean glanced out the window. The front porch light was on, illuminating their front yard and the Impala and their dad's truck that was parked in the driveway. "Here? As in, in town here?" Dean asked, reaching to pick his gun up again.

John shook his head as he made a decision. He had always trusted his oldest with what was happening around them and he didn't see any reason to not follow that thinking now. "Sit down, we gotta talk." John instructed, his voice filled with a sense of authority that Dean hadn't heard in months.

"Spill the beans already dad, you're freaking me out here." Dean shot back as he took a seat at the table. He was still in a way considered to be his dad's right hand man but he was now a father of his own too and the two kids down the hall relied on him for every single thing you could think of. And that knowledge made him press his father for information that in the past he would have waited for. "Who the fuck is this demon and what the hell is it doing here?" Dean demanded angrily.

"I think it... I think it might be the thing that killed your mom." John listened as he heard Dean draw in a sharp breath.

_No, no, no, no, no_ Dean chanted to himself repeatedly. It couldn't be, it just couldn't... not now, not when things were finally going well for them and when they finally felt safe. Trying to stop thinking like a terrified father and partner, Dean let his hunter instincts take over. "What makes you think it's a demon?" He asked since his dad had never even mentioned to him before that he had a theory.

"There's signs... I've looked and found the same ones, all near by towns where a woman died in a house fire the night her baby turned six months." John started, his voice void of emotion. "There's a pattern of lightening storms, cattle mutilations and then a few days later..." He drifted off as both of them knew how these stories ended. John didn't know for sure yet if this was indeed the monster that had killed his Mary but at this point in time, it was the best lead he had. John didn't believe in coincidences and the fact that there had been a repeated pattern of this happening to other families, it made him more than sure of his theory. "All that's left behind is a sulfuric residue."

"And you think it's in town?" Dean asked, getting on edge as he looked around and saw Abby and Nick's toys decorating the house. _Shit, I thought we were done with this _he thought to himself. They had dealt with the angel who had thought he had the right to claim Sam and the twins as his own and now his dad was telling him that there might be some demon out there who wanted the same thing. Plus, hearing that the thing that had killed his mom was now possibly after his children... it sent a fiery rage through him. There was no way in hell that he was going to let that demon, or whatever it was, lay a single finger on either one of his children.

"It's possible, they're going to be six months two days and..." John drifted off, he hadn't wanted to tell Dean knowing that his son wouldn't be able to focus on anything else.

"It's been clear here though... we haven't had a storm in over a week." Dean noted, trying to find some speck of hope that his family wasn't in danger.

John nodded. "I know, that's what I'm confused about it. Look, maybe it's nothing but I just want to be prepared. I'm not letting that thing get to anyone else in this family." John's eyes were as hard as steel and Dean knew that should anything try and get to either Nick or Abby, they would be met by an immensely pissed off John Winchester. _And I'll be right there with him_ Dean thought to himself. Abby and Nick were his children, his to teach and guide, his to love, and his to protect. And he was going to damn well make sure that he did them right. Both John and Dean sat across from each other at the table in silence, both consumed by their worries unaware that their conversation had been overheard.

~DW/SW~

It was several hours later when Dean finally slipped back into bed, his arms wrapping tight around Sam's waist holding him protectively close. "We're gonna be okay." He promised, pressing a soft kiss to the back of Sam's neck. He had sat in the rocking chair in Nick and Abby's nursery, watching over them as they slept for over an hour. His gaze had kept drifting up to the ceiling as he remembered being four years old and seeing the most important woman in his life pinned to the ceiling and blood dripping down. He hadn't known what was going on, only that his little brother was crying and his daddy was screaming while their house caught fire. Dean felt tears prick his eyes as he snuggled closer to his brother, trying to remind himself that what was left of his world was still in one piece. He didn't like to think about that night and usually when he did, he was already armed with at least one six-pack of beer, usually more.

~DW/SW~

Waking the next morning, Sam found himself trapped in his brother's embrace. It caused a worried frown to form on his face as he covered Dean's hands with his. He normally felt safe, loved, and really kind of cherished when his brother held him like this but this morning, he felt nervous and worried. He had woken up last night when Dean had climbed out of bed and followed him down the hall only to overhear his brother and dad talking about some demon who may or may not be in town and who may or may not be after his children. _And it killed mom? _He wondered. Sam wasn't sure what to make of that new information. He didn't want to believe that it was true and that their small family was once again in danger but if his dad thought so then there was a very real chance that it was happening again. _Why us? Why do we keep being targeted? _He asked himself. Feeling sick with the thought and like he was about to throw up, Sam untangled himself from his brother's arms and hurried out of the room.

Racing down the hall, Sam flung open the door to Nick and Abby's nursery. Tears flooded his eyes when he saw them sleeping peacefully in their cribs, untouched and unharmed. Walking over to Nick's crib, Sam gently traced a finger down his baby soft and chubby cheek memorizing the way his son looked. Swallowing thickly and drying his tears, Sam let his eyes drift to the ceiling and he shook his head. He didn't know why his mom had been killed over his crib all those years ago and now the thought that his children were going to be targeted by the same thing... it made him confused and angry. He heard the sound of a door opening and quickly turned around to see Dean standing in the doorway.

"Everything okay?" Dean asked, looking at Sam curiously.

Sam nodded, pushing down his nerves and worries. "Yeah, just checking on 'em is all." He lied, a fake smile on his face before he headed out of the room.

~DW/SW~

Later that afternoon, Dean was busy making his way through the small drugstore with Nick and Abby in tow. He had taken them with him to go shopping to try and give Sam some quiet time to study for his finals. His brother had seemed extra tense this morning so a quiet house would hopefully help the geek out. _I haven't even told him _Dean thought to himself. He had woken up that morning when he'd felt Sam get out of bed and found his brother in the nursery, watching over their children. The scene that had greeted him had only reinforced just how important it was that whatever this demon or thing was didn't succeed. And if he wasn't lying, Dean felt like he needed his children close to him today. After having that discussion with his dad the previous night and knowing that his babies may very well be in danger, he needed to have them in his sight. _I'm not going to let anything happen to you guys _he promised, gently tickling the bottom of Abby's foot as he stood in the aisle. Nick was sitting in his carrier that Dean had strapped to the shopping cart while Abby was in her pink and gray carrier that he was wearing. Dean could admit that wearing the thing was probably not the manliest thing he'd ever done in his life but he couldn't put both of them in the shopping cart so he'd have to deal with it. Besides, it was a small price to pay for being able to know that his children were currently safe. "What do you guys think? Will daddy like this one?" He asked as he picked out one of the birthday cards from the display rack.

Nick quietly reached towards it while Abby let out a little squeal causing Dean to laugh. "Majority wins, guess we're getting this one." He smirked as he placed it in the cart, out of Nick's reach. The two of them had started to teeth recently and he did not want that card to become Nick's latest victim. "What else should we get daddy?" He asked, continuing with his shopping as he tried to keep himself from worrying to death.

~DW/SW~

When they arrived back home about an hour later, Dean was surprised and then wasn't surprised to see Bobby's car parked next to their dad's truck. He had figured that their dad would have called the man for back-up by now and it was actually a bit of relief to know that yes, in fact they did have more hands on board. _I wonder if he's told Jim _Dean thought, knowing that the Pastor would want to know about this. Unstrapping both Nick and Abby from their car seats, Dean climbed the front stairs and let himself inside. "Hey dad, it's us. We're home!" He shouted as he moved to set both babies down on the carpet. He watched as Abby rolled over and then pulled herself to where some of her toys were while Nick remained sitting up and playing with the musical rattle that Dean had handed him. "Yeah, you like that kiddo? That's some pretty good music you've got going on there." He smiled when Nick looked up at him and laughed as he continued to shake the toy.

A moment later, John and Bobby walked out from the kitchen with solemn looks on their faces. Knowing instantly what was on their minds, Dean just nodded back as he watched his children play and interact with each other. _They'll get to do this for a long time_ he thought to himself. He wasn't going to let whatever this thing was cut his children's happy childhoods off like it had done to him.

~DW/SW~

"Alright, come on guys. You two are coming with me." Dean said as he scooped both Nick and Abby up a few hours later. "Let's go pick daddy up from school." He muttered, mostly to himself as he ignored the look his dad was giving him. He knew that it may look a little irrational, what with him not letting Abby and Nick out of his sight for more than just a few minutes at a time when he had two reliable people right there but he couldn't help it, he needed them today.

John followed his son out to the Impala and helped him get both babies strapped into their car seats. "Dean," He sighed, stopping and leaning on the open passenger door.

"Yeah," Dean asked, not looking at his dad as he finished doing Nick's belt. "There ya go buddy. Hey, you want this to play with?" He asked as he handed his son one of the texture and flip books they had. "Dad, what?" He repeated when his dad hadn't said anything further.

"Drive safe... we'll see you guys back here soon." John responded, changing his mind at the last minute. He knew exactly why Dean had been so adamant all day long about keeping Nick and Abby with him and even though he knew that letting his son worry like this probably wasn't the best thing, he couldn't blame him either. It had taken an incredibly long time for him to let Dean and Sam out of his sight after Mary had died. _Nobody's dying tonight _he swore to himself.

"Yeah, we'll see ya soon." Dean responded, shutting the car door and then climbing into the driver's seat.

John nodded silently and watched his son drive away, praying that after tonight he'd be able to do so again.

~DW/SW~

"What's Bobby doing here?" Sam asked, playing dumb when Dean pulled into their driveway and he saw the man's truck. Dean hadn't made any indication at all that there was anything amiss and though Sam didn't like being kept in the dark, he wasn't sure that he wanted to push Dean on this.

"Ah, he's ah... he's helping dad with a hunt." Dean answered after a moment. He hadn't told Sam yet about the possible danger that was out there and he didn't want to nor did he know how to. His brother had spent the last several months worrying over one thing or another and he desperately didn't want to have to add another thing to that list, especially now that in a way they did have the cookie-cutter apple pie lifestyle that Sam had always wanted.

"Hmm," Sam nodded before he sighed. "Dean, I know okay. I... I heard you and dad last night." He finally admitted, his voice tinged with annoyance and anger. He didn't know why Dean had gone all day without mentioning it to him. He had thought they were a partnership, especially when it had to do with their children.

"Shit," Dean muttered to himself as he turned to look out the driver side window.

"What, you weren't going to tell me?" Sam huffed as he pinned his brother with a glare.

Dean at least had the decency to look guilty. "I just... I Jesus Sam, I just didn't want you to have to worry about it." Dean tried to explain though he knew that was a weak argument.

Sam huffed again and he shook his head, causing some of his bangs to fall in his face. "Right so you, dad, and Bobby can silently get prepared for a hunt that may be in our very own home and yet not let me in on a single thing... sounds kind of familiar doesn't it?" Just then, Abby began to cry causing Sam to shake his head once more before he climbed out of the car to get his daughter. "What's the matter baby?" He asked as he gently ran a hand down her back, trying to soothe her. "Shh, it's okay." Without looking at Dean, Sam pushed his way passed his brother and into the house with his crying daughter in his arms.

~DW/SW~

"So are you still giving me the silent treatment?" Dean asked with his arms crossed as he stood in the doorway of the nursery, watching as Sam changed Nick's diaper. For the first time that day, Abby wasn't with him as John had managed to convince Dean to hand her over for a little while.

Sam was quiet as he finished wiping his son clean and then putting a new diaper on him. "All done," He smiled, helping Nick stand on chubby legs as he pulled up his son's little pair of pajama pants that had Dalmatians, fire trucks, and hydrants on them.

"I'll take that as a yes then," Dean commented after Sam had still not spoken to him. After their fight in the car, Sam had refused to speak to either himself, their dad, or Bobby but Dean knew that it was really him that Sam was pissed at. The two of them had a shared responsibility to not only their children but to each other and if Dean knew Sam as well as he thought he did then he'd guess that Sam was pissed because he'd broken that somehow. "Sam, look I'm sorry okay? I didn't mean to not tell you about it. Hell, I just found out last night... it's not exactly like there's been a good time to..."

"A good time Dean?" Sam interrupted. "There is never going to be a good time to tell me that OUR children are in danger." Sam held Nick on his hip as he stood in front of Dean with an angry glare on his face. "Or did you forget that they belong to the both of us?"

"That's not fair," Dean clenched his jaw shut. "You know that."

"Do I?" Sam asked as he shook his head.

"How many times do I have to say it Sam? I didn't purposefully exclude you and hell, if you wanted to know so bad then why the hell didn't you come out to the kitchen when you heard us talking?" Dean shot back. He didn't like being accused of things he didn't do, especially when it came to their family and their relationship and along with his nerves over what may possibly end up happening, he was in no mood to put up with any kind of anything tonight.

"Yeah well, whose to say you guys would have kept the conversation going if I did try and join you?" Sam asked bitterly. "We both know that you and dad prefer to keep me in the dark when it comes to hunts."

Dean shook his head as he sighed and muttered under his breath. "You're still holding on to that?" He asked, instantly knowing what Sam was talking about.

"You can't hide the fact that there's a lifelong pattern can you?" Sam dropped his eyes and he smiled sadly when Nick looked up at him. "When are guys going to start trusting me with the important things Dean? They're my kids too, you should have told me."

"Sammy," Dean sighed as he dropped his arms and hung his head. He knew his brother had a point but he'd never kept anything from Sam because he didn't trust him. It had always been to protect him and to try and maintain some of his brother's innocence. "Baby, I do trust you. You know that." Dean's voice had softened as he stepped closer to his brother.

"Then tell me these things Dean, let me be a part of it too alright?" Sam asked as he looked up at his brother.

Dean nodded. "I will... I just, you've been so stressed out lately... I didn't want to add to that." He shrugged as he wasn't sure what else to say. Back when the competition had been going on, they hadn't told Sam about it because the kid was just starting to deal with the fact that he'd been raped. It had felt cruel to dump another load of worries and trouble into his brother's lap then. "And I mean, come on you've gotta give me some slack here hunh? I just found out last night. To tell you the truth, I don't think dad really wanted to tell me about it either."

Sam let out a watery laugh as he nodded. "Yeah okay, I'm just... I think I'm always going to worry about them so you can't let that stop you from telling me something." He reprimanded.

"Deal," Dean agreed. "Can I get a kiss now or do you still have me in detention?" Dean joked.

Sam huffed. "Your papa is going to drive me crazy one of these days." Sam muttered to their little son just before he allowed Dean to give him a quick peck on the cheek.

"You're probably right about that." Dean smirked before the two of them became serious again though without the tension between them this time. Looking at the little boy who was currently snuggling against Sam's chest, Dean felt his chest swell with a series of emotions. "You getting sleepy, little guy?" Dean asked as he reached out and placed his hand on Nick's back.

"Yeah, I think he is." Sam agreed. "Um, tonight... can they sleep with us?" Sam asked as he unconsciously clutched Nick just a little tighter.

Dean quirked his brow at his brother as if to say 'duh'. "Sammy, dad had to practically fight me to give him Abby just long enough for me to be able to come and talk to you so ah, yeah the kids are staying with us tonight."

"Good, I don't really want to let him go right now." Sam admitted quietly as he gently brushed a hand over the top of Nick's head.

"You don't have to, ever." Dean promised and with that, the two of them walked out to the living room ready to face whatever it was that was waiting for them as a team.

~DW/SW~

When Sam and Dean walked out to the living room, it was to find Abby lying on her stomach on a blanket on the floor with their dad and Bobby sitting a few feet away, discussing the hunt. "You guys back on speaking terms?" John asked gruffly. He needed his sons to be getting along and communicating tonight, not having some domestic squabble.

"Yeah," He gently squeezed Sam's hand and then he walked over to where Abby was, picking her up and holding her close to his chest. "So, what do we do? Where do we go from here?" Dean asked, fixing both his dad and Bobby with a stare.

"We prepare," John answered as he moved so he was no longer blocking view of the coffee table. The tabletop was cluttered with guns, knives, flasks which Dean was sure were full of holy water, and their dad's journal with exorcism rituals in it. "Let's say that this thing is a demon, then at least one of these should do the trick."

Dean nodded but as he looked over at Sam, he could see that Sam was absolutely terrified. He didn't blame him. "Come on, let's make up a bed for you guys." He suggested as he walked over to the corner in their living room where they kept extra blankets and such. Shifting Abby to his other arm, Dean grabbed up a pile of several blankets and then headed back towards the middle of the room. Putting Abby in her 'Around the World' play station, Dean quickly made up a bed for Sam and their children. "Here ya guys go." He tried to smile reassuringly as he added some pillows.

"Thanks," Sam whispered after he'd sat down on the bed, positioning Nick to lie on his back since the little boy was starting to fall asleep. "Sleep tight little man," He whispered pressing a kiss to Nick's forehead. "I love you."

~DW/SW~

As the hours passed, the four hunters had grown more and more anxious. Both John and Bobby were sitting in wing back chairs with their shotguns resting on their laps. Dean was lying on the makeshift bed on one side with Nick and Abby sleeping in between him and Sam. It was currently two in the morning and so far, there had been nothing. No flickering lights, no rotten egg smell, nothing and while they had all been hoping that nothing would happen, it was also a little bit disconcerting. "You can fall asleep if you want. I'm not gonna let anything happen, promise." Dean smiled tenderly when he looked over at his brother and saw that Sam was finally having trouble keeping his eyes open.

"Wake me in an hour, okay?" Sam requested as he turned to lie on his side so that he was facing both his children and Dean.

Dean nodded though he wasn't totally sure he would, not if his brother was conked out and snoozing like a log. _Yeah, then you'll get your butt kicked for the second time in as many days_ he thought to himself ruefully. "Nothing's gonna happen." He repeated firmly.

Sam gave Dean a small, reassuring smile that said he trusted him and then laid his head down on the pillow.

Dean waited until Sam was fast asleep before he turned to his dad and Bobby. "What do you guys think? Is it coming?" He asked worriedly.

John sighed and scrubbed a hand over his bearded face while Bobby removed his ball cap and twisted it in his hands. "I don't know," John offered causing Dean to scoff.

"Thanks dad, that's helpful." He replied sarcastically.

"Well, I don't know what to tell you Dean." John wanted to be hopeful that for whatever reason, this thing had decided to not hit their family twice but he was afraid that if he let his guard down then that was when the thing would strike. "I say we wait until sun-up and if the thing still hasn't shown then maybe..." He drifted off, too nervous to verbally state that they might actually be able to cut a break.

"Yeah, alright," Dean sighed as he flopped back on the blankets, careful not to wake either baby. Dealing with cranky and irritated infants right now was not really on his wish list. _At least they're going to be here to be cranky_ Dean thought to himself knowing that he was lucky that he was able to spend this amount of time with them in a place where they would hopefully get to grow up, always knowing that they were safe.

* * *

Hey, so how was the chap? I hope you liked it! Please let me know, I would love to hear your thoughts. I'll try to post the final chapter soon... key word there is try... THANKS AGAIN FOR READING! *HUGS*


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